KATHMANDU: The COVID-19 Crisis Management Center (CCMC) Direction Committee has said that it will soon make public spending on coronavirus treatment.
For the past few days, youths have been protesting in different parts of the country demanding the government make public the details of Rs 10 billion said to be spent for tackling coronavirus pandemic among others.
The protestors have been demanding that the expenses incurred in the procurement of testing kits and medical goods be made transparent, RDT testing be stopped and the decision to impose additional tax be withdrawn.
Committee Coordinator and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Ishwor Pokharel said in a statement on Friday that it has been decided to increase the scope of PCR testing and quarantine will also be improved.
“The state government and local levels have also spent from their own funds. The overall details will be made public soon. The government has decided to further expand the scope of the PCR test. As the number of Nepalis entering the country from abroad skyrocketed in the last one month, there are some problems in the management of quarantines, but the government is committed to continuously improve them,” Minister Pokharel said.
Stating that the government and the CCMC have drawn attention to the ongoing agitation with various demands, Pokharel said, “While it is a matter of democratic rights to present our demands peacefully, we would like to urge all concerned to be serious and sensitive to the current situation and the high risk of coronavirus infection.”
The committee has stated that it is the responsibility of all to maintain the social distance and help in controlling the risk of infection in the situation while the lockdown has been eased.
He has stated that the government has effectively controlled the coronavirus infection to a large extent with its plan and cooperation with the general public, adding that the infection has been on the rise for some time now and there is a risk of a further increase in the coming days.
“Given this risk situation, the government is committed to making the plan against the coronavirus epidemic more effective, taking suggestions from experts, media and the general public into account,” he said.
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