On August 15, the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre of Tilottama Municipality, Rupandehi, decided to set up an additional isolation centre in view of the increasing number of coronavirus patients.

However, the decision to set up the isolation centre at Puspalal Park in Banbatika has hit a snag after the park officials refused to vacate their newly constructed office building for the municipality to keep coronavirus patients.

Tilottama Municipality has so far reported 32 Covid-19 cases. Twenty patients among them are being treated at Shankarnagar Health Post, two symptomatic patients are receiving treatment in Butwal Corona Hospital and the remaining patients are staying in home isolation. 

“The municipality has been witnessing a rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the last few weeks. There is currently only one isolation centre. We need to add at least one more,” said Moti Prasad Paudel, the health coordinator of the municipality.

For the time being, the municipality has been using the building of the Shankarnagar Health Post as an isolation centre. 

“We have proposed the building of Puspalal Park as it is adjacent to the health post. It will be difficult for the municipality to run isolation centres in two different places,” said Basudev Ghimire, mayor of the municipality. “This is why we chose the park’s building since it’s close to the health post.”

According to him, they can accommodate up to 20 patients in the park’s building.

However, Ram Giri, coordinator of the Park Management Committee, said:“The construction work of the building has not been completed. The committee’s meeting of Wednesday has decided not to provide the building for an isolation centre. We are yet to fix electricity wires and bulbs in the hall room. And, the building cannot accommodate 20 individuals.”

The locals also agree that the municipality needs another isolation centre.

“The Park Management Committee should allow the authorities to use one of its buildings. The park’s building is in a suitable location near the health post,” said Bel Prasad Sharma, a resident of Tilottama-2.

Meanwhile, Siddharthanagar Municipality Ward No. 2 is also facing resistance to set up an isolation centre at a local school.

Dipak Kumar Thapa, ward chairman, said the local people in the ward are against the idea of setting up an isolation ward at Balbhahira School.

The locals had even staged a protest against the municipality’s decision on Monday.

“The school building can accommodate up to 100 individuals. But the locals aren’t happy with the decision to convert the school into an isolation centre,” Thapa said.

Until Thursday, 5,288 Covid patients tested positive for coronavirus in Province 5. Among them, one died and 640 tested positive for coronavirus in Rupandehi district.