Galkot, May 3: The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Baglung has built a Covid-19 isolation ward for its members working on the frontline amidst the increased risk of the second wave of coronavirus infection. Chapter chair Naresh Kandel said the chapter’s meeting hall has been converted to a 10-bed isolation facility for immediate use.    

“Journalists are at high risk of the infection as they work on the front line during this pandemic, many journalists in the district reside in rented houses and are not in the position of observing home isolation if infected,” he added. The capacity of the facility will be expanded gradually, it is said.    

As he said, five journalists who had contracted the virus have been recovered. “Though no journalist is infected at the moment, this could happen at any time, we are aware that the situation may change at any time and are being prepared accordingly.’’    

The Dhaulagiri Hospital is to co-operate with the FNJ chapter to operate the isolation facility with the oxygen therapy system. Hospital chief medical superintendent Dr Shailendra B Pokhrel said he was happy to see the establishment of the isolation ward for journalists on their own.

He stressed the need of ensuring more and more Covid-19 isolation facilities to cope with the potential crisis of beds in the hospital if the infection rate continues to rise in the days ahead.    

Brother Surgical and Diagnostic Pvt Ltd proprietor Neelkanth Sharma has provided an electric hand sanitizer dispenser, 250 pieces of masks, five liters of hand sanitizer, pulse oximeter, digital blood-pressure monitor and a digital thermometer for the isolation ward, according to Kandel.--