In a meeting with public health experts and PM K P Sharma Oli, public health experts said Nepal, besides Covid-19, had 49 other chronic diseases to worry about.
The comment was made public by Minister for Finance and Communication and Information Technology Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada on Thursday. Khatiwada is also the spokesperson for the government.
“During a meeting with Prime Minster KP Sharma Oli this week, public health experts discussed that rather than imposing lockdown, there are already over 49 chronic diseases that people have been suffering from in their daily lives. The deaths from such chronic diseases are higher than the deaths caused by COVID-19, therefore another complete lockdown may not be an all-time right solution”, Minister Khatiwada explained.
“Our public health experts termed the coronavirus as ‘youngest disease’ of the present world and have kept it in 50th position in Nepal below other chronic diseases from which Nepalis have been suffering more”, he added.
However, the government is considering a ‘selective restriction’ model for areas affected with more than 200 active cases.
For example, several districts of Nepal have shut down all services except essential services keeping in view the rise of Covid-19 cases.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Thursday said that the government would take stern measures by adopting a selective approach if the present COVID-19 infection rate continued to increase.
“The government will call a meeting of the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) to take some concrete decisions if the COVID-19 situation deteriorates further in the valley and other metropolitan areas across the country,” Minister Dr. Khatiwada said.
