As the spread of COVID-19 pandemic becomes critical in many countries of the world, Nepal is also placed on a high-risk radar. In an address to the nation on April 7, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli accepted that the next two weeks are crucial for Nepal as it is starting the rapid detection tests for the first time; while the country extends another week of lockdown till April 15.
The country is under complete lockdown since March 24. However, tension, fear and rumors afloat too many for the general masses; while many places still lack proper awareness to deal with the pandemics.
According to official reports, there are now 9 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with one case of local transmission, though many people suspect that there could be far greater numbers as proper testing is still lacking.
A crucial issue that looms as a larger challenge for Nepal are the almost 20,000 Tibetan refugees and Tibetan communities (people from China‘s Tibet living in Nepal-ed.), as most do not fall in the formal system of Nepal. The issue is, how are these people managing the challenges of the pandemic?
Does the state provide them extra benefits even if they are not recognized as citizens of Nepal, considering that Nepal anyway lacks resources to deal with the situation? How are the external actors supporting or playing a role in Nepal for this specific group?
In specific, when these people are reluctant of any Chinese support while Nepal is relying on the mighty neighbor, are the alternative channels sufficient for them to sustain and fight such a huge war against Covid-19?
Government of Nepal’s Challenges and Initiatives
Considering that Nepal still falls in the category of Least developed Country, the current pandemics poses huge challenges for the state.
Yet, the country is under complete lockdown, though the costs to the economy and human life are huge. According to a report of Oxfam Nepal titled “Fighting Inequality in Nepal: The Road to Prosperity”, the bottom 20 percent of the populace holds only 4 percent of the entire wealth of the country. This indicates a high level of poverty spread across the state.
The report places the Gini Coefficient of Nepal at 0.49, which is almost at the most dangerous levels, with more than 21 percent of the population below poverty line.
This means that not only the numbers of the poor are magnanimous, but even the gap between the rich and poor is quite high. Hence, it is but obvious that welfare of the citizens is a herculean task for the government of Nepal.
However, the government has set up testing centers in all the seven provinces of Nepal. The government’s High-Level Coordination Committee on Prevention and Control of Novel Coronavirus under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister has established a COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (CMC) for rapid responses in an organised, effective and coordinated manner.
Apart from the testing and treatment, the government has announced relief packages for the needy that includes 30 kilogram of rice, 3 kilogram of pulse, 2 kilogram of salt, 2 liters of cooking oil, 4 packets of soap and 2 kilogram of sugar. It has further taken initiative to invite all INGOs to submit their plans in order to allocate 20% of the budget from already approved projects in response to COVID -19.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Finance has signed an agreement with the World Bank for a fast-track USD 29 million COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project to help prevent, detect, and respond to the pandemic and strengthen its public health preparedness.
Earlier, as per reports, China’s Sichuan province and the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu had facilitated Nepal with necessary goods to deal with the pandemics, which included masks, thermometers, chloroquine phosphate tablets, protective clothing, and portable ventilators weighing 1.1 tons.
As per the reports, the Alibaba Foundation and Jack Ma Foundation also made donation that included 100,200 masks and 20,064 test kits.
Therefore, for the Nepalese government with all outside support, the challenge to cater to its poor and marginalized sections of the society in general is a huge challenge. In addition, there is the issue of a certain group/s that may lie outside these formal supports and government provisions, and they form an inalienable and large chunk of population spread across Nepal, in specific the Tibetans.
Tibetans Run on Self-Rules and Own Welfare system
Reports suggest that due to national lockdown, the people in Mustang and other villages are unable to return to their own hometown.
Reports further claim that some 276 people from Upper Mastang are stuck at Pokhara, which include teachers, local representatives, and farmers.
Local village heads have imposed their own rules, restricting entry into the village. In addition, fines are imposed on anyone who keeps a person coming from abroad without intimation to the local heads and not abiding with the 14 day quarantine period.
Such actions are not restricted to Mustang, but are reported from many rural areas of Nepal, especially among the Tibetan communities. However, all these actions/measures are indigenous of local village committees that may or may not coordinate with the local administration of Nepal.
Recently, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) based in India made an open call for doctors, nurses, medical staff and drivers stationed in Tibetan habitats both in Indian and Nepal to render short term voluntary services as per the need. This means that CTA is actively supporting alternative channels for providing health and welfare benefits to Tibetans.
As most of the Tibetan refugees do not fall under the official category of permanent citizens of Nepal, they are devoid of formal channels of health care benefits. Hence, they rely on informal channels of donor money and have developed their own welfare system including Traditional Tibetan Medicine.
There are also some non-governmental organisations like the Snow Lion Foundation funded by the Swiss agency, which work for specific needs including health care. However, for the health care and social welfare activities during pandemics, these facilities lack even basic resources and equipments. It needs to not only find willing donors, but find facilities that can cater to the emergency needs of the people.
Therefore, even if alternative systems are established by the Tibetans with the help of local NGOs /INGOs and also with the informal support of Tibetan government-in-exile in India, they are highly inadequate to fulfill the requirements of the local population that may be at higher risk.
In specific, these channels are unable to provide essential items like masks, medicines and equipments. In addition, as the Nepalese government has not launched any knowledge dissemination in vernacular languages, these local people rely on the rumors or social media channels to garner unsubstantiated reports, thereby lacking in proper knowledge and awareness, especially with regard to cleanliness and hygiene.
Worst is the provisions of essential goods for sustaining a living is hindered not only due to the complete lockdown, but also as the government welfare schemes are inaccessible to many in need. Hence, there is a pertinent need for the formal channels to streamline the overall welfare needs; while taking proper stock of the entire populace, else the dangers of uncontrollable escalation looms large.
(Author is the Assistant Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India and view expressed is her personal.)
