State-2 government prepares against COVID-19 pandemic at war footing

The State-2 government has started preparations for prevention, control and treatment of coronavirus at a war footing.

It is stated that the state government has entered the second phase of war against COVID-19. The state government has spared no efforts in making the lockdown announced by the federal government to contain coronavirus successful. It has also been providing relief assistance through the local levels to the economically poor and daily wage workers throughout the state.

A meeting of the COVID-19 Pandemic Control Steering Committee here on Friday decided to manage a model quarantine in the state, set up ICU and assign the responsibility to the experts team to set up an intensive care unit at the Dermatology Hospital at Lalgadh of Dhanusha. It also decided to construct a quarantine at Mujeliya and instruct the Executive Committee and the Ministry of Social Development to manage an ambulance and a mortuary van each in all eight districts of the state, Chief Minister Lalbabu Raut said. The Chief Minister is the chair of the committee.

The committee has directed the Ministry of Social Development to also make preparation for recruiting doctors and nurses should a shortage of these crucial human resources occur in the state. It has issued instructions for setting up PCR machine in Birgunj and Rajbiraj as well with tests for coronavirus starting at the State Hospital Janakpur after the installation of PCR machine.

The bodies concerned have also been directed to ready ICU with ventilator in view of the COVID-19 risk. Chief Minister Raut said instructions have been given to purchase 50 ventilators required for the state and install 10 of these each at the State Hospital Janakpur and the Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital Birgunj, and five each at the remaining six districts of the state.

Likewise, the steering committee has decided to make the public procurement process flexible in the present special circumstances which will allow for the purchase of essential medical equipment and others through the fast track.

The meeting has also formed the Health Advisory Committee comprising experts from the health sector to formulate a special strategy at the state-level to fight against COVID-19.