Infected receive health care services at home for free

GALKOT, May 13: A 65-year-old COVID-19 patient of Baglung Municipality-1 was in home isolation after he tested positive for the virus. Also a diabetes and high-blood pressure patient, he was too scared in the early days after the infection. 

However, given the health care and psycho-social counseling services at his home for free, he not only easily defeated the virus but also received more excitements and energy. He is now fully recovered.

At present, six other infected persons in Baglung bazaar have been receiving free health care and counseling services at their homes from the volunteer nurses.  

Nitu Khadka of Baglung Municipality-1, a health worker who is active in health care and social activities for long, has been providing treatment and counseling services to the COVID-19 patients.

Khadka said that she has been providing free health care to the infected ones by realizing the social responsibility after the surge in the number of infected patients after the second wave of coronavirus,  
“As a health worker, I started a campaign in Facebook since May 4 planning to extend services. I have been receiving phone calls then. Now, I am treating them by visiting their doorsteps. Three of the infected defeated the virus and three others are in home isolation,” she added.

She even provides counseling services to the patients on phone calls if she could not visit the places.       

As a prohibitory order is enforced in Baglung since May 4, most of the patients in the district are in home isolation.   

Khadka claims that her initiative is to encourage the patients by providing them basic medical supplies and counseling to defeat the virus.  
She is also providing counseling services to a patient in Bhaktapur.

In such a time, counseling is equally important besides medical treatment, she shared. 

As she launched her initiative through Facebook, she has also received PPE and other health materials to treat the patients.

Khadka, also a senior nurse, is the chairperson of Wellness Group Nepal and is involved in Rotaract Club of Baglung and other social organisations.