A few days ago, a 38-year-old woman from Galyang died on the way to Pokhara where she was being rushed for treatment. The woman, who was infected with corona virus, died due to lack of oxygen.

Similarly, three others have died due to Covid-19 in Syangja so far since the beginning of the Nepali new year. As the second wave of corona virus infections is on the rise in the country, many hospitals are facing shortages of ventilators. However, the four ventilators available at Syangja Hospital are kept in the storeroom.

Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr Ramesh Acharya said the ventilator had to be kept in the store as they were useless without skilled human resources to operate them. He said, “Anesthesiologists and trained nurses are needed to operate the ventilator.”

"As the condition of patients who need ventilator support is always critical, the work of a technician operating a ventilator is extremely sensitive," he said.

Chief District Officer Deepak Raj Nepal informed that the District Crisis Management Committee has decided to set up a 10-bed isolation ward in the hospital. The hospital administration stated that an isolation room is being prepared at the hospital accordingly.

The Gandaki state government provided the ventilators to the district hospital located in Putlibazar Municipality-3. An isolation center was also set up at the hospital during the first wave of corona infections.

The number of coronavirus infections in Syangja is increasing day by day. As of Tuesday, the number of infected people has exceeded 216. Of those infected, 186 are being treated at home, 25 in various health facilities and five in quarantine centers.

Bishnu Prasad Subedi, chief of the health office in Syangja, said none of the 10 hospitals in the district has ICU and ventilator facilities despite having a capacity of 210 beds.