KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Oli has said that Nepal’s battle against coronavirus is very long and challenging.
Addressing the nation on Monday evening, he said that the government was working effectively to control the pandemic.
Although the lockdown has hit daily life hard, it has made it easier to identify those infected and stem the spread of coronavirus, PM Oli said.
“Decisions such as sealing of borders and flight closures have prevented an epidemic. But the government is wary of the situation,” said PM Oli.
The prime minister added the government will work on war footing to control and prevent the spread of coronavirus, warning that any leadership that will fail to do the necessary work to stop the pandemic will be changed.
“The epidemic is spreading now. All government agencies must be effective to combat this epidemic. The leadership of any structure that cannot meet the challenge of time will be immediately reorganized. Punishment and reward will be provided by making the role played in this hour of national crisis,” he said.
“Human life is the biggest thing,” he stressed, adding that no issue would weaken the war against coronavirus.
He said that the government is serious and sensitive to the inconvenience caused to our overall economy and the entire country due to the lockdown.
“The government has made it its primary responsibility to free the people from the corona epidemic, to protect the country’s economy from the crisis created by it, and to protect its people from disease and hunger,” he said.
Stating that Nepalis living abroad have started returning home, Prime Minister Oli also said that he was talking to the heads of government of the countries where many Nepalis are currently living.
He also said that the government will issue necessary orders to bring Nepalis who want to return home to Nepal immediately.
“The government will rescue its citizens in any corner of the world in a timely manner. This work will be started soon by striking a balance between the priorities of the problem and the preparations within the country. The government is sensitive towards its citizens, I urge everyone to be assured,” PM Oli said.
He said that citizens who have entered the country already need to be tested quickly, maintain social distance, stay in quarantine safely and follow other rules.
“The local level has an additional responsibility to provide them with the necessary support in this work. In such a situation, mutual support is needed at the grassroots level. Epidemics like coronavirus can be controlled only through mutual cooperation and awareness among the people,” the prime minister said.
PM Oli said that timely lockdown saved dreadful damage that could have been caused by the pandemic.
He further said the scope of the test has been extended. The prime minister added that the government has formulated a strategy to perform tests for coronavirus on at least two percent of the population.
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