COVID cases increase, oxygen supply low

So far, there has been no oxygen supply in Baglung. In the second wave, as the number of corona infections increased, businessmen in the district and other people collected oxygen cylinders from Pokhara and used them for oxygen management. To end this problem, the government had started construction of an oxygen plant at Dhaulagiri Hospital, Baglung, but the oxygen plant started last August has not been completed yet, but the rate of corona in the district has started rising again. At present, the infection rate has reached 88. On Sunday alone, 40 people, including people's representatives, health workers, and journalists, have been infected.

So far, there has been a problem with the oxygen plant not producing oxygen. The locals are of the view that the oxygen connection has been delayed due to the negligence of the hospital, but the medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr. Shailendra Vik Pokharel, informed that the technical work of the plant is underway. It is said that even if the technicians work at high speed, it is still uncertain when the oxygen will be produced.

"Oxygen plant technicians are working. It is not yet known when oxygen production will start," he said. "After the construction of the oxygen plant, 177 large cylinders can be filled daily." He said that the construction of the oxygen plant was started at a cost of Rs. Although the central government has ensured the budget for the construction of the plant, it has not been received yet, said Dr. Pokharel.

He said that the work was delayed as the government did not send the budget on time. "The central government has secured a budget for the construction of the oxygen plant, but it has not been received yet. The work has been delayed even though the budget has not arrived on time." He informed that 170 oxygen cylinders have been kept in the hospital considering the risk of infection. Two years ago, the Ministry of Social Development of the Gandaki state government brought an oxygen plant to the hospital at a cost of Rs. 9 million.

Advocate Ram Sharma said that the construction has not been completed yet as the hospital administration and management are not serious about the construction of the plant. He accused the hospital management of constructing an oxygen plant within a month last July but said that it has not been built yet.

"The hospital management had promised to build an oxygen plant in a month in July. Has it been built for six months now? The hospital management and administration are not serious about it," he said.

The district has started conducting public awareness programs for corona prevention, distribution of masks and sanitizers. Chief District Officer Ramesh Dhakal informed that the district administration office has stopped the people from holding fairs and crowds after the corona started growing.

After the third variant of Corona Omicron has been confirmed in Nepal, high vigilance has been adopted in the district. Surveillance has been intensified at Maldhunga and Kharwang, the main checkpoints of the district, for entering the district from neighboring India, said Superintendent of Police Krishna Bahadur Palli Magar. The health office is working to raise health awareness, enforce public health standards, stay at home with symptoms, and get tested at a health facility.