Telemedicine facility at BPKIHS

By a Post Reporter

DHARAN, March 13 - The BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) has for the first time in Nepal, installed Telemedicine facility, according to a press release issued here today.

The facility allows doctors to access and communicate with patient-monitoring systems installed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) from any remote location from within the hospital or outside anywhere in the world, says the release.

According to the release, the system gives an overview of the patient’s condition, including review of ECG waveforms, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, temperature, blood pressure, central venous pressure, pulmonary artery pressure and cardiac output.

After viewing the patient’s clinical condition from remote location, the physician can transmit his findings or order back to the Central Station and the specific bedside monitor.

Princess Sruti opens handicraft exhibition

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, March 13 - Politicians, diplomats and various other people bought handicraft items prepared by the women rehabilitated at the Maiti Nepal, an organisation which rehabilitates women and girls from difficult situations.

Princess Sruti Rajya Laxmi Devi Rana inaugurated the handicraft exhibition.

According to officials of the Maiti Nepal, the organisation will be giving more skill-development training in order to make the girls independent.

Death news reaches family after a month

By a Post Reporter

THERATHUM, March 13 - The news of a Nepali national’s death in the UAE has reached his family only after a month, said the wife of the deceased, Chandra Kala Gurung.

The deceased, 32 years old Bal Bahadur Gurung was killed by a taxi on a road inbetween Damam and Abdek 800 km away from the UAE capital, Riyadh on Feb 4.

Gurung, passport No. 669374, had gone to the UAE through the organisation SOS Man Power to look for building work since he could find no work in his village.

According to the 84 years old father of the deceased, Gaj Bahadur Gurung, he came to learn about the sad incident only when the District Administration Office sent him a letter after the Foreign Ministry informed the office about the incident on Feb 1.The Foreign Ministry received official notice of the death from the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Saudia Arabia on Feb 14.

The family said they had expected the news of Bal Bahadur’s increasing success instead of his sudden death.

Hearing that compensation could be obtained, the widow has approached the District Administration Office for the letters of confirmation.

She said, "the government should insure the safety of their nationals abroad otherwise it is not worth going."

Maoists focus on teachers

By a Post Reporter

JAJARKOT, March 13 - Maoist insurgents have begun monitoring teachers’ attendance at school. Former teacher Maoists check class registers to make sure teachers who have signed in are actually in class. If not, they receive a red mark and are forced to forfeit that day’s salary to the Maoist party.

According to headmaster of Shiva Shankar Primary in Dandagaon-2, Gulaph Sunar, the insurgents ordered a teacher to turn over two days salary after she forged her presence in class.

They have given similar instructions to 48 primary schools of the district, he told The Kathmandu Post.

Majhis deprived of power supply

By a Post Reporter

MANTHALI, March 13 - Two months ago power supply lines were linked to homes in Manthali and a few other VDCs, yet due to poverty many families of Majhi community have not been able to use the energy.

"I need to look after my children," says Jhimke Majhi. "How can I link a power supply to my home?" He must instead depend on a "tuki", (a kerosene-fed lamp) while his neighbours bask in the dazzling glow of electricity.

Majhis of Bhatauli, Pakarbas and Bhaluwajor VDCs have also not received power due to poverty. Out of about 20 Majhi households, only one family has applied for power supply.

According to chief of the Ramechhap-Manthali branch of NEA Kanhaiya Lal Das, NEA is making preparations to electrify Chisapani VDC within one year. There are large settlements of Majhi in Gaikhura and Jakhanitar of this VDC. Employees of NEA are apprehensive about whether their investment there would be worthwhile because the bulk of the customers are Majhi and not able to afford the added expense.

There are about 100 Majhi families in the district headquarters an their economic condition is weakening every day.

5 held for supplying explosives

By a Post Reporter

HETAUDA, March 13 - Police arrested five people last week including a blaster employed in limestone quarry of Dhading Jogimara under suspicion of supplying explosives to Maoist insurgents.

The Anapurna Quarries Company employees include blasters Gopal K.C. and Dambar Saha, Shyam Subedi and petty contractors Ram Bahadur Gurung and Shukra Bahadur Ghale.

Police found 112 pieces of explosives in bags kept in a truck at Nawalpur of Hetauda municipality-11 on January 22 and suspected foul play.

When police discovered that the explosives came from Jogimara Limestone Quarry, they arrested the workers for necessary investigation, Superintendent of Police Narendra Kumar Khaling told The Kathmandu Post.

Kerosene crisis in Dhankuta

By a Post Reporter

DHANKUTA, March 13 - Consumers of Dhankuta are suffering as only two dealers distribute kerosene in the district headquarters at the rate of 5 litres.Further, it is not openly available at any shop.

Nepal Oil Corporation Biratnagar distributes kerosene only with the recommendation of the Chief District Officer. It is, therefore, distributed to only a limited number of places.

Kerosene is available at 15 rupees per litre at Dhankuta Bazaar. Social worker Hari Regmi says the unavailability of kerosene in plenty and the ban on open sale of kerosene are responsible for kerosene’s presence in the black market.

Although the District Administration allowed only two dealers to sell kerosene, other shopkeepers continue to sell the fuel at bloated prices.