Bhadrapur, March 29 : Chief District Officer of Jhapa Udaya Bahadur Rana has urged proprietors of private hospitals in the district to not return back people coming for treatment. He has urged them to continue treatment other than OPD services, and keep their gates open for incoming patients.    
The directive comes after some hospitals were reported to have returned people coming for treatment with symptoms of Coronavirus, including fever. Considering the fear among the health workers for lack of personal protective equipment, CDO Rana has said efforts are being made to make them available.    
However, hospitals have said that they are forced to continue their service despite lack of PPE. "Doctors and nurses continue to provide service despite the risk of COVID-19," said director of Omsai Pathibhara hospital in Bhadrapur Bal Kumar Pokharel.    
Pokharel said it is very difficult to find PPE in the market, including the essential mask and gloves. As a result, the dialysis service provided by the hospital has been affected.     
As health workers are most vulnerable to infection, PPE should be immediately provided for them, said Dr Laxman Thakur of the B&C Hospital in Biratmod. The hospital is currently providing treatment to 15 patients in ICU with surgery in orthopedic, neurology and gynecology undergoing.    
The hospital administration has refuted the charge of sending back patients but only referring it to other hospital for lack of concerned specialist doctor.    
Likewise, Director of the Manmohan Community Hospital in Birtamode, Romani Bhattarai said emergency and other specialist service continues in the lockdown. "We have not stopped our service, and health workers continue to do their duty despite fear of infection," Bhattarai said. The hospital has developed 40 PPE sets on its own for the use of its medical staffers.    
He also claimed that his hospital had the facility to treat coronasvirus infected person provided the government provided the testing kit and PPE.    
It may be noted that the proprietor of the B&C hospital has offered to give the entire hospital for the treatment of people infected with COVID-19. However, at present the hospital lacks even basics like gloves and surgical masks, including other PPE. "If the government provides us with COVID-19 testing kit and PPE, we are ready to test and treat the patients," said the hospital's medical director Nirajan Parajuli.