KATHMANDU, April 24: The Teku-based Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital (STIDH) in the capital has been declared one of the three Nagarik Nayaks by Nepal Republic Media (NRM). 

The pioneer hospital for COVID-19 testing and treatment  in the country was felicitated for its excellent performance in the country’s  fight against the pandemic.

The hospital, which was established 88 years ago as a hospice for the treatment of cholera on the premises of the Ropeway Terminal at Pachali in Teku in 1990 BS has been providing various health services including treatment of leprosy, rabies, HIV and AIDS, malaria, kala-azar, tetanus and snake bites since its inception.

The COVID-19 pandemic started spreading around the world in 2019, starting from Wuhan of China. Nepal also got affected by the pandemic. According to Dr Sagar Rajbhandari, who has been serving as the director of the hospital since February 2020, the hospital treated more than 1,000 corona patients by mid-2077 BS. Some 51 people died during the treatment. Similarly, more than five dozen employees were infected during the treatment, but they returned to work within a week of being infected. According to Dr Rajbhandari, the hospital has treated two to 55 people daily in the last one year. 

Initially, the corona testing facility was only available at the National Public Health Laboratory, but the hospital set up a PCR testing laboratory on May 15, 2020. Dr Rajbhanadari considers the establishment of the laboratory as an important achievement. As of mid-April 2021, the laboratory has conducted the PCR tests of 58,477 people, out of which 8,391 tested positive for the virus. 

Oxygen is important for COVID-19 patients as they have respiratory problems. The hospital set up a liquid oxygen plant during last year’s lockdown and installed oxygen pipes in all 55 beds of the hospital. 

Hepa filters were installed to prevent the spread of bacteria from one room of the ICU to another. Dr Rajbhandari states that the hospital is the first in Nepal to treat the novel coronavirus disease with Remdesivir medicine and plasma therapy. 

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