KATHMANDU: Concluding that the COVID-19 infection has reached at a critical stage in Nepal, the government has decided to operate all government hospitals in Kathmandu valley as COVID-19 hospitals.
Speaking at a virtual press conference held by the ministry Tuesday, Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi said that the situation has become tough as the second wave of infection has been highly contagious.
Minister Tripathi said that the demand for oxygen has increased tremendously of late.
“Infection is on the rise. The situation is complicated. The demand for oxygen for many infected people has increased tremendously,” he said, adding, “We are not able to meet the demand for oxygen but we are trying,” he said.
Secretary at the Ministry Laxman Aryal also said that the demands were difficult to meet as of now.
“There is the demand of 15,000 oxygen cylinders daily, but the hospitals have only 10,000 cylinders,” Aryal said.
He informed that the process of procuring liquid oxygen tank has already been started.
He announced that all government hospitals will be operating as COVID-19 hospitals, and around 75 percent beds of private hospitals also will be used for the coronavirus patients.
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