Nepal’s hospitals directed to suspend OPD, surgery until mid-April

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population (MOHA) has directed hospitals in Kathmandu with an over 50-bed capacity to postpone the Outpatient Department (OPD) and surgery services until mid-April.

A meeting held under the Chairmanship of Minister for Health and Population Bhanubhakta Dhakal directed to suspend health checks and surgeries that don’t require immediate attention.

The meeting directed all the hospitals to treat suspected patients of COVID-19 with priority.

Besides, the meeting has decided to keep the National Public Health Laboratory in a stand-by position for at least 20,000 sample test kits there with necessary arrangements to make sample tests for the coronavirus as per the requirements.

As per the meeting decision, the Department of Health Services shall prepare a list of essential materials required for detecting, testing, treating, preventing and containing the disease with the estimation of a required quantity and urge the Chinese Embassy here for assistance towards that end.

All hospitals have been directed to designate one person each related to pathology service as a focal person for the purpose of collecting sample swab of a suspected person and transporting the sample for lab process and sending the details of such person to the National Public Health Laboratory.

Likewise, Bir Hospital, Dhulikhel Hospital and BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences have been directed to start sample tests for COVID-19 immediately.

The Bir Hospital is required to immediately send a dialysis machine and required human resources to Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital required for the infected people.

Similarly, hospitals with over 100-bed capacity have been directed to operate a fever clinic.

Home Ministry has been requested to manage security at hospitals to deal with untoward incidents in case parents or relatives of suspicious people kept in hospital isolations put pressure on the hospitals to discharge them.

The Ministry has directed concerned authorities to manage accommodation for hospital staff and health workers attending to infected people at respective hospitals.