The only isolation facility in Rolpa has been closed down by authorities despite the district having many active cases, according to the health and population ministry. There are 22 active Covid-19 cases in Rolpa as of Monday.

With the closure of the isolation centre at Jaljala Multiple Campus in Liwang, the district headquarters of Rolpa, Covid-19 patients in the district have been deprived of proper health care and facilities. The isolation facility was closed three weeks ago after the campus administration asked the District Covid-19 Crisis Management Committee to vacate its premises.

“We asked the chief district officer and other concerned authorities to make arrangements for a new location for the isolation centre and not to shut it down completely but they paid no heed to us,” said Phabindra Aacharya, the coordinator of Rolpa Hospital Management Committee.

“The treatment of the infected has been greatly affected by the closure of the isolation centre. We held talks with the chief district officer several times regarding the management of the isolation facility but to no avail,” said Aacharya. According to him, the health authority is facing further challenges in their fight against coronavirus since the District Covid-19 Crisis Management Committee, which is headed by the chief district officer, is ineffective in its actions.

“The District Coordination Committee, Rolpa Municipality Office and other local units are also indifferent towards the issue,” said Aacharya. “We have been asking them to make arrangements for an isolation centre but no one has listened to us.”

The isolation centre at Jaljala Multiple Campus, which had been set up at the cost of Rs3 million, had started providing services in June. The centre was run with the financial support of Rolpa Municipality and nine rural municipalities in the district. Around 200 coronavirus-infected people received health services from the centre since its establishment.

Chief District Officer Narendra Rana said the District Covid-19 Crisis Management Committee has not taken any decision over the operation of the isolation centre in the district due to the government’s policy of giving priority to home isolation.

“We have urged the infected people to stay in home isolation by following health security protocols,” said Rana, adding that the committee would provide necessary support to the infected if they faced any health difficulties.

According to Rolpa Hospital, 15 Covid-19 patients are receiving treatment outside the district. The infected people have been urged to stay in home isolation but no institution has been given the responsibility to monitor them.

Health officials have underscored the need for a separate treatment centre for Covid-19 patients to prevent the community transmission of the virus. They say the risk of community transmission is high from patients staying in home isolation since they cannot strictly follow health security measures in congested living quarters.

“We are planning to provide treatment to the infected people by isolating them. But we cannot do it due to a lack of space,” said Dr Dhanamaya Gharti Magar. According to her, the hospital refers symptomatic Covid-19 patients to Banke, Dang, Butwal and Kathmandu for treatment due to the lack of isolation ward in the district.

A total of 253 people have been infected with the virus in the district so far. Three patients died in the course of treatment.