KATHMANDU: Country’s three security agencies have geared up the preparation to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus with high alertness. Nepal remains one of the most vulnerable zones in view of the COVID-19 outbreak and its spread.
The virus which had emerged from Wuhan of Hubei Province in China and has now reached almost across the globe including Nepal’s southern neighbor India, posing a great risk of infection in Nepal as well.
The security agencies have kept themselves busy in establishing isolation wards to quarantine homes and health desks in sole and joint efforts to prevent the entry of viruses via the border points and to contain it in case of its arrival. They have increased surveillance along with the transit points.
As said by Nepal Police Spokesperson Deputy Inspector General of Police, Shailesh Thapa Chhetri, the Nepal Police has trained over 13,000 workforces and placed them stand-by for taking necessary actions against the COVID-19.
“Such a workforce will move at any time when necessary,” he said.
Health desk has been established at the district and central levels to tackle possible challenges to be posed by the virus, according to him.
A 50-bed quarantine home has been readied at the Nepal Police No 2 battalion and 20-bed isolation at the Nepal Police Hospital.
The Nepal Police leadership through a videoconference on Friday directed its all state-level bodies to maintain high alertness to the heightened risk of the infection.
It has established a health desk at some points along with the transit points on its own and in coordination with the Armed Police Force at some places.
Similarly, the AFP is striving for expected results in the prevention of the virus outbreak. APF Spokesperson Deputy Inspector General Praveen Kumar Shrestha said it has prepared a workforce capable of being mobilized at any time to prevent the infection risk and take containment measures if the disease enters home.
A space has been retained for building isolation rooms and quarantine homes capable of accommodating 1,000 people if necessary and preparations towards that end have begun, it is said. The APF has been providing its services through 142 health desks established along with the transit points and surroundings.
NA’s sole, joint efforts
The Nepal Army (NA) has also given priority to the preparedness to the COVID-19. It has launched both joint and sole efforts for the prevention and control of the global menace in the country.
According to NA Spokesperson, Bigyan Dev Pandey, NA had also done the rehearsal some days back to control the COVID-19 spread despite the constraints of human and technological resources.
The rehearsal was done successfully raising 54 tents as isolation and quarantine. Its regional hospital in Nepalgunj, Itahari and Pokhara have also intensified the preparation to cope with the threat.
All seven divisions of NA have been collaborating with the State governments for isolation and quarantine. There are some 400 isolation beds set up in Morang, Jhapa and Udayapur in collaboration with the State governments.
The NA headquarters has been dispatching the necessary items including tents to the respective places across the country. Spokesperson Pandey further informed that NA was implementing the direction given by the government- 20 beds were allocated for ICU at Birendra Army Hospital.
A core team has been readied to look after the coronavirus. The government has maintained high alertness to stay away from the COVID-19. All services except essential ones are closed till April 3 from Sunday.
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