Skip to main content

Politicians in Nepal fight over power as covid surge leaves people dying in hospital parking lots

NEPAL’S workers have demanded that politicians stop fighting over the formation of the next government and focus on combating coronavirus as figures continue to shoot up.

The country is experiencing its worst rise in infection rates to date, amid acute shortages of hospital beds and oxygen for patients.

As reported in the Star last week, doctors have warned that patients could die on the streets as the high death toll from the virus continues to rise.

Nepal has had eight different governments in a decade. Khadga Prasad Oli of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist–Leninist (CPN-UML) became prime minister in 2018 with strong support from two-thirds of Parliament, but two splits in the CPN-UML this year helped to push him out of office on Monday.

Currently no party has a majority and an agreement on a coalition is not likely any time soon, so it could be weeks before a new government is formed.

Workers, speaking to the Associated Press news agency, said they felt let down as the political squabbling over leadership continued while the country struggled to cope with the pandemic. Unemployed driver Narayan Maga accusing the government of being “indifferent to our sufferings.”

The Himalayan nation has seen infections and deaths peak in the last few days, recording 9,483 new cases and 225 fatalities on Tuesday — a 30-fold increase in infections in one month.

Several hospitals in the capital Kathmandu have stopped taking in new patients, saying that they have run out of beds and oxygen.

Grande Hospital posted a notice saying that it would not accept new admissions because the 100 oxygen cylinders a day that the government provided were barely enough.

State hospitals are treating patients on corridor floors, in beds on verandas and in waiting rooms, while relatives queue up to obtain oxygen.

Former election commission chief Bhojraj Pokharel said: “At the moment, all the political forces should have been working together putting aside all past differences to work to end the coronavirus crisis, but it is unfortunate for the nation and the people that they are focused entirely on who gets to be in power.”

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today