All agencies swing into action to combat COVID-19

Government all ministries, bodies, and sectors have started becoming more active in the fight against the deadly second wave of COVID-19 pandemic with the formation of the new government under Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's leadership.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari appointed Oli to the post of Prime Minister and he was sworn into office for a third term on Friday.

His latest appointment as the Executive Head is in line with Article 76(3) of the Constitution after the political parties failed to muster majority support to stake claim for the high post by 9 pm last Thursday, the deadline given by the President to the parties to stake claim to the post of Prime Minister after PM Oli lost floor test in the House of Representatives, the lower house of Federal Parliament, on last Tuesday.

The government has focused its attention on combatting COVID-19 in a planned manner as the pandemic continues to take its toll with more than 100 deaths daily and the patients and their families desperate for the shortage of oxygen and hospital beds.

Prime Minister Oli had while assuming his third term in office in Singha Durbar on Friday and while giving directives to the government ministers and high officials, vowed that there would not be any shortage of resources in the prevention and control of the coronavirus infection. He urged all the state organs and the private sector to mobilised in an effective manner to that end.

"This is the time when all should be united and involve in the prevention and curbing of the pandemic. The tendency to pretend not to see even the good works carried out by the government and non-cooperation or involvement in irregularities is not appropriate. Any act of corruption or taking of undue benefit is not tolerable and the government will take stern action," PM Oli had said.

He also reminded all to follow the related laws in controlling the pandemic, to not let the people become despondent, and to not allow any irregularities to take place in the present situation.

The ministers who took charge of their respective ministries following the Prime Minister's directives announced that they would concentrate on the prevention and containment of Covid-19 from their respective quarters.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokharel reiterated that the government would now focus its attention to free the people of the scourge of the coronavirus infection. "We now focus on the treatment of the coronavirus infected people, on the management of the required medical appliances and hospital beds, and on motivating the doctors and health care workers," he declared.

DPM Pokharel is the coordinator of the COVID-19 Crisis Management and Operation Centre.

The attention of all the three tiers of government- the federal, provincial and local- as well as that of the private sector and civil society is presently centered on prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel has allocated about 60 million rupees to install the oxygen plants in Patan Hospital, Bheri Hospital, Banke, and Dadeldhura Hospital. The decision was made by him while assuming the office yesterday.

Similarly, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa had directed the concerned bodies and agencies to be fully focused on containing the COVID-19. He also directed to ease the process of oxygen supplies and control the black marketing in these critical hours.

Likewise, Energy Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi is preparing to reduce the electricity tariff to oxygen plants and crematorium for six months to be effective from this month.

Tourism Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal and Forest Minister Prem Ale had also announced some relief packages to the worst-hit sectors.

Foreign Affairs Ministry is effortful to bring the medical stuff, vaccines, and oxygen from neighbouring countries to contain the pandemic. Most of the Ministers while taking charge of the office were found effortful to announce effective policies and programmes to contain the pandemic.