Global Pandemic in Nepal: Effects, Efforts and Expectations
Sangam Pandey
Every crisis shifts peoples’ attention to the quality of their leaders. Due to the rising terrible dread of the COVID-19 and the alarming collapse of economic activities worldwide, we, together with the people all over the globe, have been expecting the proper guidance and reassurances to cope with this global pandemic from our leaders.
Before the outbreak of COVID-19, the economic, social and political conditions of Nepal were favorable. But then, the virus started to spread rapidly throughout the country making the government to struggle hard in maintaining the equilibrium among the multiple factors such as public health, economy and community wellbeing. Typically, the government’s immediate response to the outbreak was to deal with the public health emergency and the government did the same.
To control the rapid spread of virus, the government of Nepal restricted the peoples’ movement by implementing the lockdown within the country along with sealing the border and restricting the flights to stop the influx of virus from abroad. The government has still imposed strict border control efforts alongside mandatory 14 day quarantines. Besides these, the government has been actively engaged in hygiene regulations, mass testing and contact tracing, too. Likewise, citizens have been requested to contribute to the pandemic control effort by wearing masks in the public, maintaining social distancing, washing hands regularly and staying at homes, if possible. But, many of these necessary actions to control the pandemic had the severe impacts in the economic activities shutting down its major sectors including tourism, food supply, education, transportation and so on.
As the initial phase of lockdown started across the country to minimize the spread of virus, almost all the economic activities gradually stopped operating. Thousands of daily wage earners in major cities of Nepal found themselves out of jobs and what followed the next was a desperate act of reverse migration from cities to villages. The fortunate ones got buses and private vehicles while others had to walk or cycle thousands of miles to reach their native places.
Over the past few months, we have learned that the multidimensional effects of the pandemic are more dreadful than the public health crisis. It is an economic crisis as many people have lost their jobs, a general health crisis with unintended death from delayed medical treatments, increased suicides and drug addictions and also a social integrity crisis as civil behaviors have developed sometimes into violence on streets. So, here the question arises, how can we as a nation, leaders and individuals adapt to these new conditions and continue to flourish?
We collectively need to agree on some sturdy principles for living with the pandemic. Firstly, overwhelming intensive care facilities and healthcare resources should be provided which help flatten the curve of infection and death. Next, the criteria for easing lockdown restrictions need to be effectively implemented. In the effective handling of the pandemic perhaps one pathway to adapt is that we need to learn to live with the virus. Moreover, the fights against the pandemic are often characterized as scientific rather than political. The obstacles range from lack of essential knowledge even misinformation to conflicting beliefs. So, to defeat the virus, the leaders need to follow the scientific methods.
There might be the possibility of some medical breakthroughs that eradicate the COVID-19 or the pandemic might unleash new waves across the world forcing stricter lockdown and dropping economy beyond the repair. But, this moment, unlike any we have ever known, opens new options for the future. It is an opportunity, a chance to hit the reset button to recover better and to refocus our attention on a better path forward. Now, more than ever our country must embrace multilateralism and work as one. Government must work to strengthen healthcare system and advocate for fair and equitable access to vaccines-if they become available soon. It must work to recover better, to build a stronger and a sustainable economy.
Conclusively, the government, the leaders and individuals, must be at the forefront of helping those in need, must remain concerned about their health, their jobs, their livelihoods, their education and access to social services. We must collectively work to safeguard our nation and civilization from the pandemic in a sustainable manner.
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