Govt indifferent to misuse of Red Cross emblem

By Kiran Chapagain

KATHMANDU, Jan 22: Beginning from a signboard at a hospital in Putalisadak to the wall of Model Pharmacy in the nearby Bagbazar and in hundreds of doctors’ cars, one can see Red Cross emblems all over the city.

This is a general scene of country’s medical sector misusing the universal symbol of the Red Cross, defying the Geneva Convention and taking advantage of the government’s negligence in formulating a national law to protect the symbol, the Red Cross on white background.

The 1864 Geneva Convention strictly prohibits the commercial and personal use of the symbol. Commercial pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and policlinics are also not allowed to use the emblem.

Though the Geneva Convention entitles National Red Cross, Red Crescent Societies, free-of-cost ambulances and first-aid stations operated by the parties to use the universal symbol of the Red Cross, the emblem has been widely used by hospitals and those involved in the medical sector.

The government is responsible for the misuse of the emblem, as it has not yet formulated any laws to prevent this misuse. The first-ever Geneva Convention compels the signatory countries to formulate laws guaranteeing the right use of the emblem.

But Nepal has not followed this despite signing the Convention in 1964. Even after more than two decades of signing the Convention, the Health Ministry, which is responsible for the law protecting the emblem, is not giving enough attention to the repeated pleas of the Red Cross Society.

"It is the responsibility of the government to prevent the misuse of the emblem as the government is a signatory party of the Convention," says T.R. Onta, Executive Director of Nepal Red Cross Society. "Government should have formulated a law for the protection of the emblem, but it has not done anything yet."

However, the spokesperson at the Ministry of Health Dr. Benu Bahadur Karki says that the government is not bound to formulate any laws for the protection of the emblem.He says, "the government is free from any obligation to formulate the law."

"The Convention in itself is a law, so there is no need to formulate any laws to protect the symbol from being misused," Karki says.

However, lawyers say that the Convention cannot penalise an individual or an institution for not abiding by it (take for example the misuse of the emblem). "The Convention puts moral pressure on the signatory for not abiding by the Convention it signed but does not penalise a person for defying the Convention," says Tulsi Bhatta, advocate at the Unity Law Firm and Consultancy.

Advocates also say that the signatory country of the Convention can formulate laws for implementing the Convention, though the Convention in itself is a law. "Government should formulate a moral law to punish the individuals or institutions who violate the Convention," says advocate Bhatta.

The Ministry has not authorised any one to use the symbol. But Red Cross officials say that there is a high probability of using the emblem by the conflicting groups in Nepal during the ongoing emergency. "So the government should now take the initiatives to formulate the law," says Onta.

The Red Cross emblem is used only for protective purpose. The National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies use the symbol for indicative purpose and medical services of armed forces, authorised civilian hospitals and voluntary relief societies use the symbol for protective purpose, according to the Red Cross Society.

But from the government hospital to the private nursing hospital and from the medical institution to the general pharmacy all are using this sign.

Doctors say they have their cars and vehicles painted with the red cross because it makes their vehicles "safe". Further more, it "introduces them in the society as doctors." "The symbol makes our vehicles safe," a doctor working at the Bir Hospital said requesting anonymity.

But those running the pharmacies say that they have been using the red cross without any knowledge. "I have painted this symbol just to signify that this is a medical shop," a owner of Model Pharmacy at Bagbazaar says. "I do not know that I have been misusing the Red Cross symbol."

Similarly, hospitals and clinic owners say they are using the symbol thinking that they are associated with "humanitarian services."

"I have been using the symbol on the signboard of my clinic because the painter painted the mark on it," says Dr. R.B. Sahu of Zandu Ayurved Clinic.

"We have nothing to gain from the symbol," says Birendra Karmacharya, manager of Capital Hospital. The hospital has not only red cross painted at the front but also has a logo, which appears to be the Red Cross logo.

The Health Ministry spokesperson says that the Ministry is doing its best to prevent the misuse. "We have appealed to the concerned people repeatedly but our efforts have not been that much effective."

Proper use of antimicrobials emphasised

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Jan 22: A significant proportion of kala-azar cases in Nepal and India are resistant to the first-line drugs, said experts at a workshop on "Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance of Selected Infectious Diseases in Nepal" today.

Since the discovery of growth-promoting and disease-fighting capabilities of antibiotics, farmers, fish farmers and livestock producers have used antimicrobials in everything from apples to aquaculture, heightening the fear of some new development of resistance strains. "It is,thus, important to rationalise the use of antimicrobials outside the medical field and with the failure to do that the trend towards globalisation and the relaxing trade barriers would increase the vulnerability of all nations developing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)," said B D Chataut, Director General at the Department of Health Services.

Experts at the workshop also expressed concern that the AMR is posing a serious threat to the public health which may have economic, social and political implications that are global in scope and cross all environmental and ethnic borders.

As part of HMG, Ministry of Health and USAID programme, a laboratory-based surveillance is being made on selected bacterial pathogens which cause cholera, blood dysentery, acute respiratory infections and sexually-transmitted infection such as gonorrhea. The surveillance is initiated in nine laboratories, five in the Kathmandu Valley and four out of the Valley and would be conducted by thirteen technologists and microbiologists trained in Dhaka.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Minister of State for Health Mohan Bahadur Basnet said, "This surveillance will also ensure availability of AMR data to formulate antimicrobial-prescribing policy and drug management so as to enhance the rational use of appropriate antibiotics and antimicrobial therapies.

Experts from the Ministry of Health, Department of Health, USAID, Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, National Public Health Laboratory and International Centre for Diarrhoeal Division and Research, Bangladesh took part in the workshop.

Energy development in S Asia discussed

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KATHMANDU, Jan 22: A five-day regional workshop on Preparation of Model South Energy Sector Report for participants from the South Asian countries was organised here today, states a press release issued here by the Centre for Energy Studies.

Speaking on the occasion, Donna Stauffer, Director General of Development Office, USAID/ Nepal highlighted the importance of the workshop and stated that outcomes of the workshop would be essential in energy development in the South Asian countries.

Dr Mark Rodekohr, Director of Energy Markets and Contingency Information Division, Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy said, "The outcome of the workshop would be very beneficial for the investors in the energy sectors in this region."

Prof. Jagan Nath Shrestha, Director of Centre for Energy Studies/ IOE/TU said that per capita energy consumption indicates the quality of life in a country. Average electricity consumption per capita is just 387 kwh per annum for South Asian Countries, which is 63 times less than that of Norway, currently ranked first according to UNDP/Human Development Report 2001, he further said.

Twenty-six energy experts were present in the regional workshop from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Prof. Dr Jib Raj Pokhrel, Dean of Institute of Engineering, Chief Guest, Registrar of Tribhuvan University, Prof. Nilkantha Lal Shrestha were also present at the programme.

The workshop was organised by South Asian Regional Initiative USAID, Energy Information Administration in collaboration with Centre for Energy Studies, Institute of Engineering, TU.

Safe parking notice to govt vehicles

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KATHMANDU, Jan 22:The Valley Traffic Police Office (VTPO) is issuing a notice regarding the safe parking of government vehicles to avert any rebel attack.

The notice will be broadcasted tomorrow from Kantipur FM The notice states that all the drivers should park the vehicles in the safe area or nearby government offices to avoid any kind of eventualities.

The Valley Traffic Police Officials said that the Maoist activities in the capital are increasing these days. The rebels have targeted especially the government vehicles after the announcement of the state of emergency.

The record shows that more than 15 government vehicles from three districts- Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur were damaged within months of time.

The rebels by hurling petrol bombs damaged the government Vehicles of the Department of Road, Department of Irrigation, Department of Land Reforms, Primary Health Project, Trolley Bus and the one with the Supreme Court.

Air service to eastern region disrupted 

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MORANG, Jan 22: The air service to the five districts of the Eastern Development Region has been disrupted by bad weather and thick fog since last Tuesday.The eastern development region has no other means of transportation than air service.

No airplane has landed in Tumlingtar of Sankhuwasava, Rumjatar of Okhaldhunga, Faplu of Solukhumbu, Lamidanda, Bhojpur and Taplejung since Thursday, according to Ram Bahadur Thapa, the Chief of Biratnagar branch of Royal Nepal Airlines. RNA is the only airlines that provides air services to these eastern hilly districts.

According to Thapa, RNA is flying to these areas as scheduled but planes were unable to land and had returned.

RNA is flying daily to Tumlingtar, twice a week to Faplu and Rumjatar and five days a week to Bhojpur, Lamidanda and Taplejung but not even a single plane landed during the last week, according to Thapa.

More than 150 people have already booked the air tickets of these flights, said Thapa.

Over 2,000 illegal sheds demolished

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NAWALPARASI, Jan 22: The local administration has demolished around 2,200 sheds and other constructions illegally built on the sides of Western Gandak canal, from Triveni to Sanai and around 150 constructions are being removed along the Mahendra-Highway in Nawalparasi.

Concerned VDC officials said that the administration used bulldozers to clear the 32-kilometers section of the canal after the encroachers paid no attention to the government notice of evacuating the areas. The local administration had earlier given the encroachers one week’s notice to evacuate themselves from the areas.

The encroachers, who had been living there since 1973, had cut down valuable tress planted along the sides of the canal. Those involved in felling the trees are being prosecuted after necessary investigation, said Bishnu Raj Kusum, Chief District Officer of the district.

Meanwhile, locals have been demolishing their huts along the Highway sides in the Kawasoti area before the dateline set by the administration. About 150 families have already left their huts, which were built without the government’s permission.

The settlers, who had been living there for over 25 years, have accused the administration of misusing the prevailing state of emergency. The VDC officials have also opined that the people, who were displaced by floods and
other forms of natural calamities in the past, should not have been forced to leave the area without making arrangement of their rehabilitation.

According to the District Road Office, there are around 600 illegally built sheds and other constructions along the 100-kilometer section of the busy Highway in the district. The office also said that most of the huts have been built too close to the roadside and they are one of the major causes of road accidents.

MPs’ fund for development underutilised

By Sudarshan Rijal

DANG, Jan 22: More than 25 per cent of the projects charted out for the fiscal year 2001 under the Constituency Development Fund, are lying incomplete, says the District Development Committee.

Under the Constituency Development Fund scheme, each lawmaker is allotted one million rupees annually for carrying out development works in his or her constituency.

More than 100 projects were selected last year with a budget allotment of half a million rupees from seven Dang lawmakers. Dang has four representatives in the Lower House and three in the Upper House.

The constituency that has fared the worst is of Upper House member Yuvraj Gyawali’s. None of the 11 projects from Gyawali’s fund has been completed even though it’s already six months into the next fiscal year. Out of these 11, seven projects have not even had a start.

In Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka’s constituency, five projects, including the construction of three school buildings, are yet to be completed. Similar is the fate of seven projects in MP Krishna Kishore Ghimire’s constituency, four in MP Gehendra Giri’s constituency and two projects in MP Baldev Sharma Majgaiya’s home territory.

In Upper House member Balaram Gharti Magar’s constituency, four projects aided by the Fund have not yet reached completion.

In the case of projects funded by Upper House member Bijul Biswokarma, all of them have been completed with the exception of two.

Even projects that were identified six years ago, have not yet reached the stage of completion, says Sarva Dev Ojha, acting Local Development Officer. He also said the DDC exercises no rights over these projects.

And in the case of completed projects, most of it has been about construction of party offices, clubs, statues, and distribution of sports goods.

Kamaiya rehabilitation delayed

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GULARIYA, Bardiya, Jan 22: Tension surfaced between the two government bodies after the employees of the Land Registration Office formed for providing land to the liberated Kamaiyas (bonded labourers) were arrested by the officials of the Nepalgunj forest Project in Sorahawa VDC.

As per the cabinet decision, the employees of the Land Registration Office (LRO) were assigned to measure the thinly forested jungle, maintained by the Nepalgunj Forest Project a few days ago.

But the forest guards of the Project arrested the LRO employees while measuring the jungle on charges of felling 200,000
saplings in the VDC area. The LRO employees were assigned to measure about 150 bighas of the forest area in order to rehabilitate the former Kamaiyas.

The arrested employees, however, were released on condition that they would provide reasonable explanation to the Project behind felling the trees within 24 hours.

LRO coordinator, Govinda Sapkota, said that the employees had gone there as decided by the government, which has planned to rehabilitate the Kamaiyas in the forest area.

A source close to the LRO said LRO authorities have written a letter to the Land Reforms Ministry, demanding action against the Project officials for disobeying the cabinet decision.

An employee at the Project, however, told The Kathmandu Post that they took action against the LRO people because the latter caused damages to around 200,000 sapling in the Project area. Tussle between the two government bodies would further delay the rehabilitation process of the former Kamaiyas, LRO authorities said.