KATHMANDU: Participants including disaster management specialists have underscored the need for the disaster management specialists to take the lead towards prevention and control of COVID-19.

Speaking in the ‘Preparedness and Mitigation Measures for Pandemic and Natural Disasters Risk Reduction’ session of the second edition of the World Knowledge Convention organized by the Non-Resident Nepalis Association (NRNA), former Minister for Education Dr Gangalal Tuladhar said that the government was ‘hopeless’ and there was clearly lack of efforts on the part of government for the preparedness and mitigation of the deadly infection which has already claimed the lives of a total of 600 persons in Nepal.

“Although the three-tier of government had concurrent rights regarding disaster management, the pandemic continues to rise for lack of proper and effective coordination,” Tuladhar commented.

The number of COVID-19 cases surpassed 100 thousand mark in the country till date.

He viewed that the current situation of COVID-19 in the country owed largely to the formation of Crisis Management Center (CMC) formed to respond to COVID-19 overlooking the structure envisaged by the country’s constitution.

Similarly, former Minister for Health and Population Gagan Thapa expressed his concern over the growing cases of COVID-19 in the country including the Kathmandu Valley.

He was particularly concerned about the lack of ICU for those critically hit by COVID-19.

He also expressed worries over the crisis such as cold waves and famine that would crop in winter.

Likewise, former secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Dr Sudha Sharma blamed that the COVID-19 could not come under control due to the political leadership taking the lead for the same instead of the disasters management specialists who were to be entrusted with the responsibilities to respond the pandemic.

She asserted, “There was no substantial efforts made by the government in the first two months of lockdown and the first two months after the lockdown to prevent and control COVID-19 was lifted.”

Also virtually speaking in the event, NRNA’s Dr Badri KC shared that NRNA had always been extending its support during the crisis in the country.

RSS