No hospital in Nepal is equipped to handle potential Ebola cases

Nepal's health infrastructure is critically unprepared to manage even a single case of the highly contagious Ebola virus, according to public health experts. Despite claims of preparedness, the system remains fragile, posing a significant risk to the nation.

Concerns were amplified in 2015 when a Niger national with a high temperature arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport. Health workers and even police officers reportedly fled in panic, demonstrating a lack of confidence and readiness to handle potential infectious disease threats. The individual was eventually deported, but the incident underscored the country's vulnerability.

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Whatever officials claim, our health system is fragile and not ready to handle highly contagious diseases like Ebola. Even if a single infected patient reaches major hospitals like Bir Hospital, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Patan Hospital, it will be a major disaster.

Experts emphasize the urgent need for designated hospitals equipped to handle such diseases. However, the government has yet to establish any such facilities or initiate concrete preparations. While airport health desks have been alerted, infectious disease specialists warn that individuals in the incubation period, asymptomatic but still contagious, could easily enter the country and bypass initial screenings.

Adding to the risk, over 970 Nepali peacekeepers are currently stationed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an epicenter of a recent Ebola outbreak. This deployment increases the likelihood of infected individuals returning to Nepal. Public health experts warn that if an infected patient were to reach major hospitals like Bir Hospital or Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, it would result in a major disaster due to the lack of specialized containment and treatment capabilities.

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What guarantee is there that an infected person will go directly to a designated hospital? They may first visit a pharmacy or clinic, which is completely ill-equipped to handle infec