Kathmandu, Oct. 19: The major opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) has urged the government to be sensitive and save the public from ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring free PCR test and treatment to COVID-19 patients.

In a statement issued by NC’s spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma here today, NC maintained that it was the duty of government to consider increasing investment in health sector and make efforts relating to COVID-19 response so as to protect people from the infection.

Terming the government’s decision not to bear the test and treatment expenses of COVID-19 patients as a very irresponsible act, the NC hit out, “By refraining from taking responsibility of the expenses of the test and treatment for the COVID-19 patients, the government seem to end the illusion that there is any government in the country.”

According to NC, the government’s tendency not to obey the Supreme Court’s recent order to conduct free PCR test for the COVID-19 suspected and infected persons had raised a question about accountability of the government. “To whom the government pays heed when it is not paying attention to the public, media, opposition parties and court?”

“The government cannot afford to refrain from the responsibility of providing free treatment to the infected persons as assured in the legal provision.”

The NC has also taken a jibe at the government by saying that its inconsistent and incoherent policies not to ensure community level isolation facilities, adequate COVID-19 hospitals, ventilators, and its inability to curb the black marketeering of anti-viral drug Remdesivir and manage dead bodies of COVID-19 patients had raised a question about the government's intellectual and physical existence.