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The air quality has degraded across the country including the Kathmandu Valley lately. According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the lack of winter rainfall has led to the high level of air pollution in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Tulsipur in Dang, in Dhankuta and in the southern plains. The issue of fog and haze has become more intense in the Tarai due to the lack of precipitation. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at 7:45 am today shows the increasing level of air pollution in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Tulsipur and Dang. Kathmandu’s AQI has reached 153 followed by 154 in Bhaktapur. It was measured at 108 in Tulsipur and 106 in Dhankuta. AQI above 100 is considered harmful for public health. Children, aged people and people with breathing complications are more vulnerable to air pollution as they may face adversity and further complications if it is in the 100-150 scale. It is harmful for all if it exceeds 150. Generally, AQI 0-50 is considered okay for human health. The Higher the AQI goes, the more it is hazardous for public health. Experts have urged one and all to take precautions against increasing air pollution in the country.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has collected revenue of Rs 4.34 billion as of December 30 in the current fiscal year. In the same period last year, the KMC had accumulated revenue of Rs 3.69 billion, KMC Revenue Department Chief Dr Shivaraj Adhikari said. With the decreasing trend of coronavirus infection, the metropolis has been able to improve its performance in revenue collection, Adhikari added. At a meeting of the Revenue Advisory Committee held at KMC on Wednesday, Dr Adhikari shared the information about revenue collection. The meeting has decided to present the agenda related to the fine and penalty for not removing unauthorized display boards within KMC to the municipal assembly.  

Nepal will be receiving 1.5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines (for booster dose) from the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) next month. According to the government, the GAVI has confirmed dispense of such quantity of vaccine to Nepal on February 2. As the Family Welfare Division, Department of Health Services said, the vaccines will be arriving in the first week of February. Division Chief Sagar Dahal said in response to a letter that Nepal wrote to the GAVI on December 29 asking it for the supplies of vaccines for the administration of booster dose, the second party promises the supplies from the United States of America under the COVAX facility. Nepal decided to request the Gavi for fresh supplies of vaccines bearing in mind increasing risk of COVID-19 infection. It will be getting Pfizer vaccines to administer booster dose following the Department of Drugs Administration (DDA)’s approval for the ‘emergency use’ for booster dose. The Ministry has urged one and all those getting the booster dose earlier to receive it in the aftermath of increasing case of FB.7, the sub-variant of Omicron virus in neighbouring India and China. Similarly, the Ministry has urged one and all to follow the health protocols: use of face mask, observation of physical distancing, hand wash with soap and water and regular use of sanitizer regularly as preventive measures against the virus.

Dr Om Murti Anil has made good use of social media platforms through his informative videos on health. Making videos and putting them online was a spur-of-the-moment decision. It was a solution he came up with to answer the queries from his patients and viewers. The 44-year-old senior cardiologist at the National Cardiac Center began his online journey 10 years ago, and over the years, his viewership has grown by leaps and bounds. “Most of my patients had similar queries and I would have to repeat the same thing over and over again. So, I thought to myself why not make an informative video and put it online,” says Dr Anil. He didn’t have many viewers at first, but that changed over time. Dr Anil knew people would soon be using online platforms as a source of information. As a full-time cardiologist, Dr Anil is a busy person. Throughout the day, he is busy attending to his patients. But he makes it a point of connecting with his viewers through his videos. He utilizes the time in between seeing his patients or in the evening after work to make video contents. “I find the experience rewarding,” he says. “I am helping people even outside my clinic.” Many people have visited Dr Anil after watching his videos. Although he doesn’t mention where he works, he says, his viewers somehow find him. Of course, when they visit him, they are visiting as patients. Dr Anil finds ideas for most of his video content based on the queries posted by his viewers on the comment section. He tries to find the best way that answers most of the questions, and in many instances, he says, his viewers want information on common topics. These days he also creates content focusing on diet and nutrition, recipes, and which food to eat if someone has a certain nutritional deficiency. Such videos are aimed at giving his viewers a basic idea on how they can lead a healthy lifestyle. Dr Anil has also diversified his content broadcast by adopting other online media platforms. He tries to remain consistent with his postings, but there are sometimes when his busy schedule keeps him from making new contents. “I do fall back sometimes but my goal is to be consistent, always,” he says. “If I don’t post the videos, my viewers and patients start asking questions as to why I have not been active on social media.” His viewers keep him motivated. “I’m not making any money. I do it out of passion and for my viewers, whom I can help,” he adds. For this work, Dr Anil has been nominated for the Nelson Mandela Award for Health Promotion. It is an award given by the World Health Organization to someone who has had a significant impact on health sectors in their country. “I never did it for the awards or praises, but it feels good to be recognized,” he says. Dr Anil says he will continue to post health-related videos for as long as he can. “As a doctor, it is satisfying to know that I have been able to spread my knowledge beyond my clinic.”