By Keshab Raj Poudel, Kathmandu, Jan. 5: A few months earlier, with the spiking of COVID-19 cases in Nepal, especially in the Kathmandu Valley, the virus-infected patients in serious health condition were being deprived of receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and ventilators.

But along with the decrease in the number of daily infections, the ICUs and ventilator facilities in hospitals of all seven provinces are remaining vacant lately.

Sujit Basnet of Barhabise Municipality, Sindhupalchowk, remembers having to use connections and referrals to admit his brother, who was infected with the novel coronavirus, to the hospital in August. "At that time, I had not anticipated that the COVID-19 spread in Nepal would come under control this soon," said Basnet.

Due to the surging cases of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) had even directed all government and private hospitals to compulsorily allocate the general, ICU, and ventilator beds for the treatment of virus-infected patients.

But as the virus spread has somewhat come into control with only a few hundred cases being reported on a daily basis, the government has again limited the health services provided to the COVID-19 patients only in government hospitals.

The government had assigned 79 hospitals including 52 government hospitals and 27 private hospitals for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. However, recently, the government has decided that the treatment facilities would be dispensed from only 52 government hospitals.

Currently, 197 COVID-19 patients are receiving treatment in 197 ICUs nationwide. "As of January 3, a total of 952 ICU beds are vacant across the nation," said Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, assistant spokesperson of the MoHP. "Along with the decreasing infection rate, the number of patients in isolation centers and quarantines is also decreasing. However, as the threat of COVID-19 pandemic still remains intact, it is vital to opt for all the safety measures."

Not only the ICUs, but the number of virus-infected patients receiving treatment with the ventilator facility is also decreasing in recent times. Of the total 473 ventilators in Nepal, currently, only 35 are in operation, informed the MoHP.

Similarly, along with the ICUs and ventilators, isolation and quarantine centers have also seen a drop in the number of COVID-19 patients.

Currently, only 117 patients are admitted to institutional isolation, seven are in ICU, and two are receiving treatment with the ventilator facility in Province 1.

Similarly, all 48 ICU beds in Province 2 are vacant, only one patient each is under treatment with the ventilator and isolation.
Of the total 556 ICU beds in Bagmati Province, 488 are vacant, 18 patients are receiving treatment with the ventilator facility and 2,695 COVID-19 patients are in institutional isolation.
In Gandaki Province, of the 232 ICU beds, 176 are vacant as only 56 patients are admitted to the ICU. Likewise, of the 68 ventilators, only four are in use and 64 are vacant and 105 patients are receiving treatment in institutional isolation.

Currently, 49 patients are in ICU in Lumbini Province and the remaining 65 beds are vacant. Of the 39 ventilators, only four are in use and of 1,065 isolation beds, 314 are in use. Some 476 patients infected with the virus are staying in home isolation.

In Karnali Province which has 1,388 isolation beds, only 50 patients are receiving treatment in institutional isolation. Currently, seven people are admitted to the ICU and four are receiving treatment in a ventilator facility in Karnali Province.

Of the 27 ICU beds available in the Sudurpaschim Province, three are in use and 24 ICUs are vacant. Likewise, only one patient is receiving treatment with the ventilator facility and 2,330 are in institutional isolation in the Sudurpaschim Province.