Govt forms high-level state committee for COVID-19 control and prevention

KATHMANDU: The government has formed a high-level state committee for carrying out prevention and control of the coronavirus.

Minister for Health and Population Bhanubhakta Dhakal formed a three-member committee tasked for the prevention and control of the virus in coordination with the hospitals at the state, district and local levels.

The committee coordinated by the 11th level employee of the Ministry or Department has members that include a section officer of the National Health Training Centre and a public health officer of the ministry.

The committee would coordinate the state, district and local levels to address challenges emerged in the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the state and also coordinate for smooth delivery of services excluding COVID-19.

The committee mandated for two to three weeks would make on-site study and arrange for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and ventilators for coronavirus-infected patients in coordination with the state-based hospital, local levels, state health office, state health directorate, state laboratory, state supply centre and social development ministry.

Likewise, the committee would coordinate for effective contract tracing, mandatorily keeping the people entering Nepal through checkpoints in quarantine and holding centre and compulsory arrangement of PCR tests.

The committee has been formed to coordinate for arrangement of health workers and other supporting staffs through hub and satellite hospitals and also to take prompt initiative for the construction of oxygen plant at COVID-19 dedicated hospitals.