China's aid strengthens bridge to Nepal

Days in Kathmandu Valley are becoming harder as the COVID-19 cases rise. Hundreds of people are infected daily in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. August 18 marked the highest peak of infection within a day till date. The local administration has announced curfew in Kathmandu Valley for at least a week and it will probably be extended. Almost all the beds in hospitals especially designated to treat coronavirus patients are occupied and certain residential areas are sealed off every day. Some medics in front line are also under treatment as they too have caught the infection while performing their duties. Markets are closed except some shops selling essential commodities. Educational institutions have remained closed for the past four months. Awareness notices are voiced every day in streets.

People are now used to wearing masks, though one of the state-owned research institutes reported that around 27 percent of Kathmandu residents put on masks wrongly. Thankfully there’s no shortage of ordinary masks. But as the number of infected and fatalities soar, the advanced medical equipment and accessories such as ventilators face acute shortage.

The cases in Kathmandu Valley rose because the entry points to Kathmandu Valley were loose. Kathmandu as the capital city is an economic hub for many people throughout the country. Many people who went back to their hometowns during the early days of lockdown found both legal and illegal means to come back People mostly from the districts adjoining the Indian border were found to be infected.

The central government has delegated certain rights to local bodies to manage the epidemic as per the local conditions and needs. Local bodies are authorized to issue decree of lockdown and cut off certain spots to prevent the spread of the virus. But local bodies are in difficult juncture as they have limited resources and experience to face such an unprecedented health crisis. Many healthcare members are working with meager resources.

Kathmandu Valley is a culturally rich valley. This is a season when many cultural ceremonies are celebrated. All of the three cities in Kathmandu Valley remain decked out during this season. Due to the pandemic this year all of the cultural ceremonies have been constrained. No public gatherings are permitted. All ceremonies are held just as formality. This is unprecedented as festivals were never restricted in this way in the past.

This is the season when tourists travel to Kathmandu to enjoy the multi-faceted local culture. But this year there are no foreigners in the renowned cultural tourist areas. Tourism is one of the major economic sectors in Kathmandu. But the pandemic in the whole world has deeply affected this sector and hence unemployment rate is soaring.

Arable land in Kathmandu Valley is diminishing as haphazard urbanization is peaking up. So it has to depend mostly on outer districts to fulfill its fundamental needs such as foodstuff and fuel. As supply channels in Kathmandu narrow down, market price of daily necessities is rising.

Amid the forest fire-like infection, landslides in some mountainous districts have added to the suffering of Nepali people and created desperate conditions. After the 2015 April earthquake, Nepal is facing the most difficult situation today. Even the strong and stable political leadership seems worn-out fighting one challenge after another.

China has been supporting Nepal in many ways to fight the coronavirus. One photo showing Nepali security personnel transporting huge cartons packed with aid materials provided by China was published by many media organizations on August 13. The photo was clicked on the Friendship Bridge between Nepal and China in Zhangmu (Kodari in Nepali). Many readers considered the photo as the beautiful example of close neighborly relationship between Nepal and China. Certainly that was the largest aid provided by China to Nepalese people in their fight against COVID-19 but was not the first shipment.

Cordial bilateral meetings at various levels have been held frequently and all such meetings have brought the two countries closer and made it easier to know each other. Nepalese youth these days are discussing the magnanimity of China not only toward Nepal but to the whole world.

News about China's research of vaccine against COVID-19 has been received in Nepal with hope. Nepalese people wish swift and successful completion of the vaccine research and mass production for all the humanity. We support Chinese line that the vaccine should be available to the whole world on the base of equity and justice.

Of course, today Nepal is in the midst of COVID-19 crisis and the days to come would be harder, to be sure. It would take a long course to step on the pre-COVID-19 time. But no one stop humanity from coming together. Nepal and China enjoy time tested relation and it has proved even stronger in the time of hardship.

Niraj Lawoju is a Kathmandu-based journalist.

The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of China Daily and China Daily website.