By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Mar. 16: The government has decided to further tighten the cross-border mobility of people to check the entry of COVID-19 in the country.
Organising a meeting with Chief Ministers of all states, mayors of metropolis and government authorities, the high level coordination committee of the government formed to control coronavirus decided to tighten the cross-border mobility.
Narayan Prasad Bidari, secretary at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, said that the meeting had decided to tighten mobility in all boarder points and airports with high level medical screening.
Similarly, the meeting led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel has decided to purchase PPE (personal protective equipment), testing kits, masks and sanitiser from outside the country through special arrangement in public procurement process.
The meeting decided to purchase these essential materials through fast track out of the provisions of Public Procurement Act, Bidari said.
In the meeting, chief ministers had urged the federal government to provide necessary medicine, equipment and logistics required to prevent and control coronavirus.
He said that the government would take the strategy of restricting the entry of COVID-19 in the country. For this, high alert would be taken in both airport and border entry points, he said.
Bidari said that the meeting also decided to conduct market monitoring by all three tiers of governments to ensure the smooth supply of essential commodities in the market.
The monitoring team would regularly take data on stocks of essential items from traders and stockists and use them to make necessary arrangements in the supply, he said.
Bidari said that the government has also decided to enhance the capacity of health institutions and laboratories. The government will also make plans to establish BSL2 level laboratory in all seven states in the near future.
The meeting has also decided to make coordinated efforts from three tiers of governments to create

awareness in people and carry out various activities to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19.
Chief Minister of State No. 1 Sher Dhan Rai said that the meeting made discussion on the present preparations and future plans of state and federal governments to control the coronavirus in the country.
Rai said that all governments of seven states briefed about their preparation to fight COVID-19 and provided suggestions to the federal government.
He said that the meeting of high level committee scheduled for Monday would make further decisions and all levels would then make further plans as per the decision.
Rai said that the government of State 1 had made excellent preparations in coordination with stakeholders to prevent and control the spread of coronavirus.
Chief Minister of Karnali State Mahendra Bahadur Shahi said that they had urged the federal government to manage human resources, equipment, laboratories and medicine to fight with COVID-19.
Chief Ministers had also urged the government to introduce special packages including insurances for the medical personnel which will be involved in treatment of coronavirus infected patients.