NEWS FROM OUR DOCTORS FIGHTING COVID-19
Dr Nahakul and Dr Meena are both in remote regions of Nepal and have yet to register any cases of COVID-19 in their small hospitals.
Nahakul says “We are trying to reduce elective work, with many of our pregnant patients being able to follow up by mobile from home. They are asked to self quarantine. We have established a health desk at district entry point and all the people have to fill in their personal details and go through initial health check ups. And we also established an isolation ward in the hospital. We are running regular drills and trainings in case we have a positive cases. We do have some sanitiser but are relying more on hand washing for now with everybody including all patients have to wash their hands at the hospital entrance even before they register their names for hospital services..
BREAKING NEWS: Nahakul now says that “everybody is asked not to come to the hospital. It will be completely locked.”
Dr Prakash has just finished his internship at Patan Hospital in Kathmandu and we asked him how viral testing is being undertaken in Nepal and in particular in remote regions like Kalikot?
He says ” There are currently only two RRT PCR centres in the whole of Nepal, so they collect samples in suspected individuals in the remote regions and then send to Kathmandu. The Government has made some rules regarding isolation and quarantine but it’s very hard to implement especially for those who come from abroad and who need to earn daily living. Currently in Nepal there are only 5 positive cases among less than 1000 tested; testing is very slow… but the government plan to test from all 7 provinces by this week and hope testing will speed up.”
We are thinking of all our doctors and students at this very weird and frightening time. Keep safe and keep well to all in our DFN family.