Health officials told to be present at office during public holidays too

The Ministry of Health and Population has directed medical and health workforce and officials under its subordination to be present at offices during public holidays as well and not to leave the Kathmandu Valley.

According to Ministry Under-Secretary Pramod Simkhada, the presence and mobilization of such workforce is highly required for the arrangement in preventing the entry of COVID-19 in the country.

A total of 18 offices functioning under the subordination of Ministry including Department of Health Services, Department of Drug Administration, Department of Ayurveda and Alternative Medicine, Internal Administration Section, National Health Training Hospital, Bir Hospital, Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Control Hospital, National Trauma Center, and National Public Health Laboratory are obliged to follow the instruction. The Ministry has already dispatched a letter to these offices to this regard. As he said, joint-secretary level employees, health workers and department chiefs have been told to be present at the offices during public holidays and under-secretary and officer-level employees not to leave the Valley.

The government has already announced not to open offices except for essential services and to close the entire long-route transport service beginning from Monday as precautionary measures against the COVID-19 which has already become a global menace.