काठमाडौँ, २ चैत: प्रधानमन्त्री एवं सार्कका वर्तमान अध्यक्ष केपी शर्मा ओलीले कोभिड–१ को सङ्क्रमण फैलिन नदिन दक्षिण एशियाली क्षेत्रीय सहयोग सङ्गठन (सार्क) सदस्य मुलुकका राष्ट्राध्याक्ष/प्रधानमन्त्रीबीचको साँझ आयोजित भिडियो कन्फरेन्समा सम्बोधन गर्दै कोभिडविरुद्धको सचेतनाबारे नेपालले चालेका कमदबारे जानकारी गराउनुभएको छ ।
सिंहदरबारस्थित प्रधानमन्त्री तथा मन्त्रिपरिषद्को कार्यालयबाट सो कन्फरेन्समा भाग लिँदै प्रधानमन्त्री ओलीले कोभिडको सम्भावित जोखिमलाई ध्यान दिएर अस्पतालहरुको क्षमतावृद्धि गरिएको, आत्मरक्षा र आइसोलेसनमा जानुपर्दाको तयारी गरिएको, नेपाल भ्रमण वर्ष २०२२ तथा तेस्रो मुलुकका गतिविधि र अन्तरराष्ट्रिय सम्मेलनहरुको आयोजना स्थगन गरिएको बताउनुभयो । उहाँले अन्य मुलुकबाट अनअराइभल प्रवेशाज्ञा रोकिएको, सङ्घीयस्तरमा उच्चस्तरीय रोकथाक तथा नियन्त्रण समन्वय समिति गठन गरिएको र उक्त समिति स्थानीय तहसम्म गठन गरिएको पनि उल्लेख गर्नुभयो । प्रधानमन्त्री ओलीले भन्नुभयो, “कोभिडविरुद्धको अभियानका लागि नेपाल सचेत रहेको छ । रोकथामका लागि हामीले धेरै पहल गरिरहेका छौँ ।”
कोभिड–१९ को सङ्क्रमण फैलिन नदिन सार्कस्तरमा रणनीति तय गर्न यस प्रकारको कन्फरेन्स आयोजना गरेकामा भारतका प्रधानमन्त्री नरेन्द्र मोदीलाई आभार व्यक्त गर्दै प्रधानमन्त्री ओलीले आफ्नो स्वास्थ्यस्थितिबारे चासो राख्नुभएकामा मोदीलगायत सार्कका नेताहरुलाई धन्यवाद पनि व्यक्त गर्नुभयो ।
‘भिडियो कन्फरेन्स अन सार्क लिडर्स अन कमव्याटिङ कोरोना भाइरस: सेटिङ यान एक्जाम्पल फर द वल्र्ड’ नाम दिइएको सो कन्फरेन्स गर्न भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री मोदीले गत फागुन ३० गते ट्विटमार्फत् गर्नुभएको आग्रहलाई सदस्य मुलुकले स्वागत गरेका थिए । मिर्गाैला प्रत्यारोपणपछि आज पहिलो पटक प्रधानमन्त्री ओली सिंहदरबारस्थित प्रधानमन्त्री तथा मन्त्रिपरिषद्को कार्यालयमा पुगी कन्फरेन्समा सहभागी हुनुभएको हो ।
प्रधानमन्त्री एवं सार्कका अध्यक्ष केपी शर्मा ओलीले ‘कोभिड–१९’लाई परास्त गर्न सार्क सदस्य राष्ट्रबीच साझा एवं बुद्धिमत्तापूर्ण प्रयास अपरिहार्य भएको बताउँदै सुुदृढ र सबल रणनीतिको कार्यान्वयनबाटै सार्क क्षेत्रलाई कोभिडमुक्त तुल्याउन सकिने विचार व्यक्त गर्नुभयो । उहाँले कोभिडविरुद्ध नेपाल सरकारले अवलम्बन गरेका रणनीति र अभियानबारे सङ्क्षिप्त जानकारी दिँदै प्रधानमन्त्री मोदीसहित सदस्य राष्ट्रप्रति आभार व्यक्त गर्नुभयो । अर्थतन्त्रलाई पुनर्जीवन दिने, अन्तरक्षेत्रीय व्यापार, पर्यटन र सम्पर्क सञ्जालको निरन्तरता अहिलेको कठिन अवस्थामा महत्वपूर्ण हुने बताउँदै अध्यक्ष ओलीले आपत्कालीन कोषमा नेपालले पनि योगदान गर्ने प्रतिबद्धता व्यक्त गर्नुभयो । (रासस)
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Full text of the speech--
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Rt. Hon. K P Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal for the video conference of the SAARC leaders
15 March 2020, 17:15 hrs, Kathmandu
Rt. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji
Distinguished Heads of State and Government of SAARC Member States
Namaste and Good Afternoon !
· First of all, I would like to thank Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for taking this important and timely initiative, which I warmly welcome. Our collective wisdom and efforts will help us devise a sound and robust strategy for the SAARC region as we fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
· (I wish to thank Prime Minister Modiji and all the distinguished leaders of SAARC member states for your kind words and best wishes on my speedy recovery.)
· Even though we had detected one suspected imported case but the COVID-19 test proved negative. Yet we are aware of the high risk of potential outbreak at any time. We remain alert for preventing it.
· We have taken several measures to enhance our preparedness. Our efforts at the moment are geared towards preventing this disease to enter into our country.
Our national efforts
· I am personally overseeing and guiding the Government efforts. Multi-agency coordination committees have been set up at the center, provinces and local levels to mobilize government efforts in a synergetic manner.
· We have restricted international movements. Visa on-arrival facility for all foreigners and Non-resident Nepalis with foreign passports has been suspended. Movement of third country nationals via land routes has been suspended.
· Swab test PCR health certificate is made mandatory to obtain visa from Nepali missions abroad for essential travels to Nepal.
· We have suspended issuance of work permits for Nepali nationals for overseas employment.
· International passengers are required to go through the screening process at the health desk at the international airport. There are provisions for- self quarantine for certain categories of travelers. We are strengthening quarantine facilities in all provinces. Hospitals have arranged isolation wards and intensive wards for treatment.
· We are enhancing capacity of hospitals. Health workers are being provided with personal protective equipment and necessary incentives to motivate them.
· All the permits for mountaineering expeditions for Spring 2020 have been suspended and all major international conferences have been postponed.
Best Practices and Way Forward
· Our region is at high risk of COVID-19. The epidemic knows no boundary, no nationality, and no region; therefore, we need to devise ways to combat this pandemic collectively. It is a common challenge; and it demands common efforts.
· First thing is awareness creation. Community-based organizations and medical and non-medical volunteers could be mobilized in raising awareness and supporting Government agencies.
· We have to appeal to our people to avoid non-essential foreign travels and to avoid attending mass-gatherings and other large scale events.
· Our region is rich in traditional medicine. We have to encourage our people to use this asset for the prevention and treatment of this disease.
· Our way of greetings people with Namaste, rather than shaking hands, can avoid potential threat of human-to-human transmission of the virus.
· I believe that our region holds a good stock of emergency medical supplies, well-trained medical professionals and laboratory facilities. These could be deployed at the call from any Member State of SAARC in urgent need.
· The hospitals in the bordering areas could also be utilized for the screening as well as treating infected patients if coming from across the borders.
· We may encourage hospitals, medical centers, research institutions and health workers in the region to build a good network for sharing experiences, research findings and best practices in critical areas associated with the prevention and treatment of this deadly disease.
· We need to ensure smooth supply of essential medicine, equipment and sanitary materials in the region.
· We may think of developing a SAARC-level mechanism to deal with critical health issues such as this. Establishment of a SAARC emergency medical center supported by strong funding mechanism would be desirable. In this regard I welcom modiji 's proposal and Indias contribution. nepal we will join this fund soon.
· The economic cost of this pandemic is yet to be assessed. I am sure it is going to cost all of us dearly if it prolongs. Regional discussion on reviving our economies and supporting each other through providing easy access, establishing value chains and promoting intra-regional trade, investment, tourism and connectivity would be critically important.
· Thank once again Prime Minister Shri Modi ji for taking this great initiative.
