Need for Prioritizing Health: An Old War-Cry Reiterated By COVID-19

Authors

  • Rijen Shrestha Maharajgunj Medical Campus (TU-IOM), Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Samata Nepal Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal
  • Alok Atreya Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6657-7871

Keywords:

COVID-19, health policy, Nepal, pandemic

Abstract

The poor state of health care in Nepal will be burdened further following the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The government failed in timely stockpiling of medical supplies and equipment, development of health infrastructure, including laboratories and quarantine centres, restriction and screening of international travel and information dissemination to the general public. While efforts have now been made to increase the capacity for diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2, the government still needs to further increase the availability and accessibility throughout the country. This would be the first step in fighting the pandemic. However, it is also important to prepare for the worst case. Similarly, advocacy programs should be developed to inform the general public and alleviate their fears about the disease. These measures would not only help Nepal’s capability to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak but could lay the foundations to improve the health of the citizens in general, even after this epidemic is controlled and could go a long way in developing trust of the government in the populace.

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Author Biographies

Rijen Shrestha, Maharajgunj Medical Campus (TU-IOM), Kathmandu, Nepal

Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine

Samata Nepal, Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal

Lecturer, Department of Community Medicine

Alok Atreya, Lumbini Medical College Teaching Hospital, Palpa, Nepal

Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine

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Published

2020-06-02

How to Cite

Shrestha, R., Nepal, S., & Atreya, A. (2020). Need for Prioritizing Health: An Old War-Cry Reiterated By COVID-19. Journal of Lumbini Medical College, 8(1), 99–104. Retrieved from https://nepjol.info./index.php/JLMC/article/view/40722

Issue

Section

Brief Report