MADRID, Nov. 29 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The NGO Human Right Watch has urged the Government of Nepal on Tuesday to take measures to deal with the outbreak of dengue that the country has been suffering in recent months, due to the forecast that mosquito-borne diseases will become widespread and return more severe in the Asian country as a result of the effects of climate change.
“As temperatures rise, the federal executive and local governments must work together to protect people from the growing threat posed by disease outbreaks,” said HRW South Asia director Meenaskshi Ganguly. .
“Without effective measures to eliminate breeding sites, reduce transmission and improve treatment, Nepal is likely to suffer much worse outbreaks of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases as temperatures rise in the coming years,” Ganguly said. to add that the “Government must protect the right to health of the people so that millions of Nepalis are not at risk”.
Along these lines, the director of the HRW section has argued that “the governments of the countries that have been primarily responsible for the emissions that are driving climate change should support Nepal’s efforts, including access to vaccines.”
Dr. Megnath Dhimal, a government public health expert, has pointed out that infection rates are linked to climate change because the rate of warming is much higher at higher altitudes.
“We need to improve our infrastructure and capacity for future outbreaks. The most vulnerable countries (to climate) are developing countries like Nepal,” added Dhimal.
Temperatures in the Himalayan region have been rising faster than average global rates and are projected to continue to rise faster than the global average.
Nepal has reported annual dengue outbreaks since 2006, with 2019 being the year with the most reported cases, with a total of about 18,000. However, medical authorities interviewed by HRW have noted that the actual number of infections is likely to be several times higher than official statistics.
The Nepalese government has drawn up a national plan to respond to climate change, which has been criticized by experts for lack of coordination and implementation. With all this program, it plans to spend 480 million euros to strengthen the response to these types of climate-sensitive diseases by 2030.
“‘Ad hoc’ activities are implemented, but very few effective interventions are implemented,” explained Dr. Keshab Deuba, an infectious disease epidemiologist. “Very few activities are being carried out at the community level to control these cases,” he added.
