Police detain youths staging hunger strike in Lalitpur

Police detain youths staging hunger strike in Lalitpur

Kathmandu, 27 June: The Police detained youths including one person staging hunger strike at Mangalbazar in Lalitpur on 26 June.

Youths launching “Enough is Enough” movement against the government’s mismanagement on the Covid-19 crisis, had staged hunger strike in front of Kishna Mandir in Patan Durwar Square Lalitpur on Friday.

Ishan Adhikari was staging hunger strike to draw attention of the government negligence on Covid-19 pandemic.

The Police has said that as the protesters staged demonstration at the heritage site, they were arrested.

Youths in “Enough is Enough” movement, with the satyagraha, had intended to bring to the government attention on the following demands:

1. Expansion of RT PCR Testing: It must be immediately made available to all returnees from abroad, all known contacts of confirmed Covid 19 cases, all frontline health and essential workers, all people exhibiting symptoms of advanced respiratory infections or other Covid 19 symptoms including fever, loss of smell or taste etc., and all people with a medical recommendation for testing, regardless of symptoms. Necessary procurements of testing machines, kits, VTMs and other essentials, must be transparently fast tracked.
2. Discontinuance of RDTs: RDT testing is incapable of detecting active cases early on to break the chain of transmission; it is seen to be somewhat reliable only after 2 weeks of infection. RT PCR testing must be universally employed for that purpose.
3. Rectification of Quarantine Strategy: The existing mass quarantine strategy has turned centers into undignified virus incubation camps. People who would have otherwise not have got the virus are getting it there and taking it back to their communities. Thus, a rectification of the quarantine strategy is of paramount importance. Arriving travelers must be RT PCR tested as soon as possible. Only positive cases should be quarantined at medically supervised isolation centers. People who have tested negative should be given the option to either self isolate at home for 14 days, or, if that is not possible, offered a dignified alternative. Cases requiring medical attention should be immediately sent to hospitals. People at existing mass quarantine centers should only be sent back home if they test RT PCR negative.
4. Transparency and Accountability: The government should include transparency and anticorruption measures in all Covid 19 related purchases and programs. Corruption on this life and death issue must not be tolerated. All serious allegations should be thoroughly investigated and swift legal action must be taken against those found guilty. The speedy response required to resolve the Covid 19 crisis demands the immediate replacement of Incompetent Public Office Holders.
5. Protection of Frontline Health Workers: Adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) must be provided to all who require it, along with other provisions mandated by the Health Sector Emergency Response Plan. The safety, dignity and comfort of all frontline health workers must be ensured by enforcing existing legal provisions.
6. Dignity and Relief for Vulnerable Migrants, the Working Class, and Marginalized Communities: Supreme Court decisions with regards to relief must be implemented. For the most vulnerable daily wage dependent populace, a pragmatic direct cash handout scheme must be considered. Stigmatization and discrimination must be strongly dissuaded by taking legal action, and other relevant measures.
7. Optimum Use of Existing Resources: There are several RT PCR machines, among other critical medical equipment, in the Government, institutional and private realms. Provisions must be made to immediately bring them to use.
8. Increase Medical Capacity: Hospital capacity, including Intensive Care Units, must be regularly reassessed and prepared to manage a surge of severe cases. Necessary procurements must be made as soon as possible.
9. Clarify Lockdown Easing Guidelines: They must be unambiguous. Information on additional risks of reopening and a strict adherence to defined physical distancing rules must be effectively communicated.
10. Implementation of Court Decisions: Sincere efforts must be made to promptly implement all Covid 19 related Supreme Court decisions.
11. To National and Provincial Members of Parliament, Local Representatives and other influential public office holders: Please use the resources at your disposal, like the Constituency Development fund, and clout to locally fulfill the above mentioned demands. Expansion of PCR testing and improvement of Quarantines should be prioritized. Please do not let the Federal Government’s incompetence be an excuse for local inaction.

People’s News Monitoring Service