Protecting life is government responsibility: PM

 Kathmandu, Oct. 23

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that protecting citizens and their life during any disaster was the unconditional responsibility of the government.

"The government elected by your vote will not abstain from fulfilling this responsibility under any pretext," he said in an address to people on the occasion of Bada Dashain on Friday and urged one an all to be rest assured that the government would make arrangements for testing and treatment of all citizens infected by COVID-19.

Not only in tracing, testing and treatment, the government will also remain active in making the vaccine against the disease easily accessible to all Nepali people, he maintained.

Saying that rumours surface during national disaster and many rumours of the type that make people petrified and helpless have been spread since the first lockdown started on 24 April 2020, PM Oli stated that such layers of rumours had been cleared one after another.

Indicating to the rumours that the government had allegedly stepped back from the treatment of coronavirus affected people, he said, "At the times of pandemic or mega disasters, it is natural for the state to expect reasonable solidarity of its people. Helping the poor is not only a humanitarian aspect, but also the tradition of the Nepalis."

According to him, the Government has been making provisions for equal access of everyone to contact tracing of infection, testing and treatment. The provision of free treatment of the infected patients continues, as long as the concerned person, his or her family or Hospital Development Committee declares that they cannot afford.

Management of dead bodies also continues as usual without any change in earlier procedures. Arrangements have also been made to allow performing last rites by families according to their local traditions.

PM Oli said that in the battle against the pandemic every citizen was a soldier, and in this battle, all should make contributions to their own safety as well as to the safety of family, community and the entire population. He expressed gratitude to the doctors, nurses and medical workers, security personnel, civil servants, social workers, people's representatives, philanthropic organisations and common people who were constantly active in the fight against the pandemic.

He said that since the country was welcoming Bada Dashain amidst COVID-19 pandemic and all are in the middle of doubt and uncertainties, and urged to be cautious about health discipline even when receiving the blessings from the elders and venerated of the family.

He also said that there would be no 'public Tika programme' at the PM's residence this year.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 October 2020.