The Ministry has reportedly asked hospitals in Kathmandu, with more than 50 bed capacity, to postpone the OPD and surgery services until mid of April 2020.

While urging the public to avoid health checks that are not priority, the Ministry asked all hospitals to consider COVID-19 patients on priority.

The Ministry has also directed the National Public Health Laboratory to be prepared with at least 20,000 sample test kits and necessary arrangements to undertake sample tests as and when required.

It has also decided that the Department of Health Services will finalize a list of key essentials that would be need for scanning and detecting the disease.

In this regard, the Department might also reach out to the Chinese Embassy for assistance, if required.

One person belonging to the pathology department will be the point of contact for collecting sample swab of a suspected person, handing over the same to lab and further pass on the suspect information to the National Public Health Laboratory.

Bir Hospital, Dhulikhel Hospital and BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences were assigned the task of conducting COVID-19 sample tests on an immediately.

The Bir Hospital has already been tasked with the responsibility of sending dialysis equipment and required personnel to the Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital to treated the infected.

Moreover, hospitals with 100-bed capacity will be operating a fever clinic.

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry was urged to beef up security measures to avoid unexpected instances from the families of the suspect.

Stay tuned to Nepali Sansar for more updates about COVID-19 and other interested news updates!

More COVID News:

• Coronavirus in Nepal: Overview, Symptoms, Precautions and Live Updates
• Nepal Takes Drastic Measures to ‘Stop’ Coronavirus Spread
• COVID-19: 175 Nepali Evacuees Test ‘Negative’ for Coronavirus
• Coronavirus: Nepal Plans 4 Quarantine Locations
• Nepal on High Alert as WHO Declares Coronavirus as Global Emergency

The post COVID-19 in Nepal: Health Ministry Assigns Tasks on Priority appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

With the recent draft bill on ‘Right to Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health’ tabled in the Parliament today, a couple of related revolutionary provisions will come in to play.

Following are some of the main provisions of the bill:

• Birth certificates need not mandate a child’s father’s identity i.e., mothers who do not want to disclose the identity of a newborn’s father can ask hospital authorities to issue the infant’s certificate in their name
• If hospital admin fails to comply with this provision, they will be fine with Rs 50,000 and/or imprisoned for six months
• Working women should be entitled to a maternity leave of 98 days (unlike the current provision of 90 days). This leave can be further extended based on doctors recommendations.
• After mothers join office post-delivery, they should be provided with a separate room for breastfeeding for two years
• Spouses who abandon their partners on the basis of reproductive health problems will be liable to pay a fine of Rs 100,000 or one-year imprisonment
• In case hospitals refuse to admit expecting mothers due for delivery despite the availability of space and equipment, they will be charged Rs 50,000 fine or six months imprisonment
• Forceful use of contraceptives or family planning measures will be charged with a fine of Rs 50,000 or three to six months imprisonment

“This is a good move,” says Mira Dhungana, Nepali advocate, concerning the introduction of the draft bill in the parliament.

The impending issue of birth certificates being issued with father’s identity not only plagues children during school admissions but continues to haunt them through the higher education process, securing jobs abroad and gaining citizenship.

The Scenario before 2018
Until 2012, Nepal’s Citizenship Act guaranteed citizenship to children who either had a Nepali father or Nepali mother. But the scenario worsened that year when the Nepal Constituent Assembly drafted a new provision granting Nepali citizenship only to those children whose parents were both Nepalis.

Following this, in 2015, hundreds of single mothers and rights activists took to the streets urging the government to put an end to their deteriorating state that deprived these children of official recognition and rights as Nepali Citizens.

During the time, the Nepal Government said that no decision was taken yet on the proposed new law.

“This subject is under discussion at the Constituent Assembly and its members are competent to make a proper decision, said Tek Prasad Dhungana, spokesperson Nepal Ministry of Law and Justice.

According to Nepal the Forum for Women, Law and Development’s (FWLD) 2014 report, 4.3 million Nepalis lack citizenship.

Conclusion:
The passing of the bill will come as a sign of relief for single mothers and their children after a long struggle, over the recent years.

The post New Nepal Norm to Bring Revolution in Single Motherhood Rights appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

This a good omen for Oli-led Nepal Government that envisages an 8 percent economic growth rate for the coming Fiscal Year 2018-19 (beginning mid-July). Also, this comes as a much-required push for Nepal whose three-trillion economy is very much dependent on the agricultural sector’s 27.6 percent contribution. To meet the expected rate, the government is targeting a current growth rate of 4.5 percent.

What Economists Have to Say?

Economists say, a good monsoon-start tremendously benefits farm output. This is because 55 percent of Nepal’s 3.09 million hectare is arable and is highly dependent on rainfall. It can be also key in arresting inflation, which is currently worrying the Nepal Government and threatening the country at large.

Further, bumper harvest tackles inflation in a way that it creates avenue for supply.

The government should smartly allocate minimum support prices on farm products in case farmers don’t earn enough on surplus supply, say experts.

Economist Keshav Acharya says, “Overall, if the agricultural sector performs well and the local and provincial governments spend their allocated capital, the 8 percent economic growth target is attainable.”

“This year, despite poor capital spending, regular supply of electricity and good industrial relation, helped the country to achieve 6 percent of growth,” he adds.

Agriculture – A Key Influencer
According to Acharya, the agricultural sector growth or productivity is a highly-influencing factor.

For example, if the agricultural production increases, it will automatically lead to productivity in the non-agricultural sectors such as industries, tourism, education, hotels, hospitals and retail.

“The increase in agriculture production means farmers’ income will also increase and they will spend more,” says Acharya.

Following which he added that a small growth in agricultural sector can create a ripple effect on other sectors.

Cloudy Sky for Nepal

As per the statement of the 12th session of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF) released on April 20, 2018, ”Nepal is expected to witness a ‘normal’ monsoon this year.”

“There is a very slim chance of a deficient monsoon this year and based on the forecast, we can expect Nepal’s agriculture sector to get a big boost,” says Rishi Ram Sharma, Director General, Hydrology and Meteorology Department.

Speaking further he adds, “Monsoon has entered Nepal from the eastern part of the country. It is expected to cover the entire country within few days. This is the first time in last 10 years that monsoon has arrived two days before of its schedule.”

Paddy Crop Boost in FY 2016-17
In the last fiscal year, Nepal’s paddy harvest saw an all-time high of 5.23 million tons after the country received above-normal monsoon. The paddy production last year accelerated the agricultural sector’s growth rate by 5.43 percent leading to a higher economic growth rate of 6.9 percent in the past 23 years.

Chitwan Faces Crisis – Traditional Rice Varieties Vanish

Meanwhile, Chitwan District in Province 3 of Nepal is facing crisis over the wipe out of almost 321 varieties of rice except the ‘Anadi’. The district that boasted of a wide variety of rice until three decades ago is now having to depend on hybrid varieties.

According to the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), the increasing usage of hybrid and Genetically-Modified (GM) rice varieties has beaten the usage of traditional varieties. And, the former scenario is increasingly visible in the Tarai region to hilly areas.

Currently, NARC is conducting research and studying new methods of developing high-yielding varieties of the rice crop that are resistant to climate change and diseases through the usage of traditional variety seeds.

IFAD and Nepal sign MoU Over Food Security
Recently, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Nepal have come to an understanding to significantly boost incomes and food and nutrition security for 35,000 rural farming households in 10 districts of State 6.

The MoU was signed by Gilbert F Houngbo, President of IFAD and Sreekrishna Nepal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Nepal.

With a duration of six years and a budget of USD 68.1 million; inclusive of a USD 38.3 million loan and a USD 1.8 million grant, this initiative will be co-funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SADC) and the Government of Nepal with a funding of USD 3 million and USD 11.5 million, respectively.

The program will be started in Dailekh, Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Dolpa, Jajarkot, Kalikot, Salyan, Rukum and Surket districts of State 6.

“The scheme will target smallholder producers and landless rural people interested in engaging in targeted value chain activities,” says Lakshmi Moola, IFAD Country Program Manager.

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