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The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 34. 79 points to close at 2,385.01 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 5. 76 points to close at 449. 12 points.

A total of 3,783,024 units of the shares of 237 companies were traded for Rs 1. 52 billion.

Meanwhile, NESDO Samridha Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10 percent. Likewise, Emerging Nepal Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 6. 59 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 38 trillion.

Rosanne White was first diagnosed with cancer eight years ago and lost a kidney. After the cancer returned five years ago, an oncologist in Sri Lanka's commercial capital Colombo started her on Bevacizumab last May, a treatment she was responding to, Reuters reported.

White, a 58-year-old Sri Lankan retiree, said she had received the injections free of charge as part of the country's universal government health system, which the vast majority of its 22 million people depend on.

But after 13 rounds of treatment, White said she now cannot find the injection in government hospitals.

Bevacizumab costs 113,000 Sri Lankan rupees ($359) per shot in the private market and, because she does not have insurance, White said the costs were eating into her limited savings.

"We have to call the hospital before going in for treatment to find out if our medication is available," White told Reuters. "But what do you do when the nurses say the hospital doesn't have the medication?"

White's struggle to find Bevacizumab in state-run facilities is an early sign of how Sri Lanka's healthcare system is close to collapse, under the weight of the island nation's worst economic crisis. As well as shortages of vital drugs, some procedures and tests have been suspended.

The lack of foreign exchange has left President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's government unable to import essentials including medicines and fuel, causing crippling power cuts and bringing thousands of protesters on to the streets demanding his ouster, according to Reuters.

Reuters spoke to two government officials, six doctors and a healthcare union leader who said they had not seen Sri Lanka's health system in such a bad way before.

An internal memo from a major state-run hospital in Colombo seen by Reuters said that only emergency, casualty and malignancy surgeries would be conducted from April 7 onwards because of a lack of surgical supplies.

Sri Lanka's health ministry did not respond to detailed questions from Reuters about the problems facing the sector.

The economy, which relies heavily on tourism, has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic and hit by the sharp rise in oil prices in the wake of the war in Ukraine, which has made importing enough fuel unaffordable.

Some analysts have also criticised Rajapaksa's administration for its decision in 2019 to make deep tax cuts and delay talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Those negotiations are now going ahead, Reuters reported.

A close aide to the Rajapaksas has said previously that the tax cuts had been designed to boost the economy, but that COVID-19 then struck.

Sri Lanka now has just $1.93 billion in foreign exchange reserves, the equivalent of less than a month's imports, while government debt repayments of twice that amount are due in 2022.

The Sri Lanka Medical Association, the country's oldest professional medical body, wrote to Rajapaksa last week warning him that even emergency treatments may have to be stopped in the coming days, according to Reuters.

"This will result in a catastrophic number of deaths," the association said.

Ambassador of Austria to Nepal Katharina Wieser paid a courtesy call on Minister for energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal on Tuesday.

During the meeting held at the Ministry in Singha Durbar, Minister Bhusal and the Austrian ambassador exchanged views on various matters including mutual relations and cooperation between the two countries.

The Minister thanked the government of Austria for providing support for the renovation of Patan Museum and the garden at Keshar Mahal. She recalled Austria's cooperation to the conservation of environment and cultural heritages and development of water supply projects and tourism.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Bhusal also stressed on the need of further cooperation between the two countries on climate change risk reduction. She expressed the confidence that the Austrian government will support Nepal in meeting the sustainable development goals by 2030.

Congratulating Wieser on her appointment as the Ambassador of Austria to Nepal, Minister Bhusal expressed the belief that the ties between the two countries would grow in strength in the coming days.

On the occasion, the Austrian ambassador said her country and Nepal can collaborate in hydropower development in the coming days, stating that both countries have similar topography. She maintained that 60 percent of Austria's energy needs were met by hydroelectricity while the remaining was fulfilled through solar and biomass.

Energy Secretary Devendra Karki and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials were present in the meeting. Nepal and Austria established diplomatic relations in 1959.

A four-month-old child died in a motorbike accident at Nalinchowk in Bhaktapur.

Police identified the deceased as Losang Dolma, daughter of Buddha Tamang and Susmita Tamang of Panchkhal-1, Kavre.

The incident occurred when the bike (Bagmati Province 02-021 PA 6763) they were riding on met with an accident.

Critically injured in the incident Dolma breathed her last during the course of treatment at the Neuro Hospital, the Metropolitan Police Range, Bhaktapur said.

Buddha and Susmita were also injured in the incident.

Police said that they are looking into the case.

The CPN (Maoist Centre) has stressed on forging alliances with the ruling coalition in the forthcoming local level elections.

In a circular issued on Monday, party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has given priority to forging electoral alliances and further said that the center's approval is necessary if the elections are to be contested alone.

Dahal said that the recommendation of all the candidates should be made by April 18.

The price of gold has risen by Rs 800 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association, gold is currently trading at Rs100,900 per tola. The yellow metal was traded at Rs 100, 100 per tola on Monday. 

Similarly, the Tejabi gold is now trading for Rs 100, 400 per tola in the market. Earlier on Monday, it was traded at Rs 99, 600.

Similarly, the price of silver rose by Rs 15 per tola and is now trading at Rs 1, 380 per tola. It was traded at Rs 1, 365.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) increased by 4.91 points to reach 2424.70 points in the pre-open session on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 0.78 points to reach 455.65 points.

Shares were traded 21 times in this session.

As many as 448 shares of 18 companies were traded at Rs 252, 982.

In the pre-open session, the value of 12 companies were increased the value of five companies decreased.

Meanwhile, Agricultural Development Bank is in the forefront at present with its shares traded at Rs 86, 536.

Police have arrested two persons in possession of an automatic pistol from Ramanandachowk, Janakpur.

The detainees have been identified as Indresh Kumar Singh (30) of Jaleshwor Municipality-9, Mahottari and currently residing at Janakpurdham-4 and Abhisek Kumar Singh (19) of Manarasiswa Minicipality-1 and presently living at Janakpurdham-8.

The duo were heading towards provincial hospital from Ramanandachowk with the pistol on a bike (Ja 7 Pa 7932) when police arrested them during the security check, DSP Jitendra Kumar Basnet, spokesperson at the District Police Office, Dhanusha said.

Police said that they are looking into the case.