KATHMANDU: Only 2,500 isolation beds have been set up in Kathmandu Valley so far even though the federal capital has been evolving as coronavirus hotspot.
The government had earlier decided to ready at least 6,000 isolation beds in the Valley considering an alarming rise in coronavirus cases.
The Cabinet meeting on August 20 had decided to ready 6000-10,000 isolation beds. More than two weeks after the decision was made, isolation beds have not been made as planned.
Till now, 2,500 beds are ready in Kathmandu. Even before the announcement of the government, isolation beds with a capacity of 1,000 beds were prepared in Kathmandu.
The government has not been able to fulfil its commitment to build integrated isolation beds in Kathmandu, Lalitpur
and Bhaktapur.
The Kathmandu Valley Municipal Forum had also promised to make 5,000 isolation beds on August 19.
Mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality Madan Sundar Shrestha said that an isolation bed with a capacity of 1,500 has been ready since August 20.
A 300-bed isolation ward has been set up at Janamitri Hospital, 100 beds have been prepared in Staff College of Lalitpur and 300 in Kharipati, he said.
A total of 500 isolation beds have been prepared in Manav Ashram in Samakhusi and 300 in Manav Ashram in Balkhu.
He said that the isolation beds were designed with the facility of oxygen. He added that there was no discussion about isolation beds for a few days due to various reasons.
So far, 19,004 isolation beds have been made across the country.
According to the COVID-19 Crisis Management Center (CCMC), 4,439 isolation beds in Province-5 with the highest number while Province 1 has the least number of beds with only 1,211 beds.
So far, 3,063 isolation beds have been made in Bagmati. There are 3,919 isolation beds in the Sudurpaschim province. Province 2 has 3,017 beds while Gandaki has 1,414 isolation beds.
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