The main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) has met Health Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal and drawn his attention to government failure to effectively work toward prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic.
A team of NC representatives led by Prakash Sharan Mahat, delegated by the party for monitoring the anti-COVID-19 works by the government, met Dhakal at the ministry Tuesday morning and demanded expansion of the scope of PCR testing.
NC Central Committee Member Chandra Bhandari, who was in the team along with fellow leaders NP Saud, Mohan Basnet, Gagan Thapa and former member of National Planning Commission Prabhu Budhathoki, told Setopati that the team also urged the government to manage quarantine facilities better and provide nutritious food to those in the facilities.
"We mainly talked with Minister Dhakal on four issues," Bhandari said. "Do arrange for health personnel and at least one well-equipped ambulance in every municipality or rural municipality. Send health personnel and lab technicians to those local bodies. Provide nutritious food at the quarantine facilities. Don't depend solely on leaders for everything and also take support of experts."
The party also pointed at the accusation of financial irregularities in procurement of medical supplies and demanded that the ministry should provide facts and investigate. It also complained that the government has not provided budget to the local bodies for management of quarantine facilities.
