Befitting Reply

PRIME Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand, in a befitting answer to some political parties that have been raising the question of constitutionality, said that the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990 is fully active and operational in the country. Speaking at an interaction programme on "Media and Constitutionalism," organised by the Federation of Editors and Publishers in Kathmandu, the other day, Prime Minister Chand said that it was the flaw of those who fail to strictly implement the constitution and act in accordance with the letter and spirit of the constitution. Constitution is the fundamental law of the land and a guideline to be followed by every Nepali citizen. All articles of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal are in full operation. No article of the constitution has been suspended and everything is being done strictly in accordance with the constitution. The formation of the present government is strictly in accordance with the Article 127 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, as the House of Representatives has been dissolved. The then caretaker Prime Minister failed in his duty to hold the general elections within the stipulated time. Moreover, all the parties had backed the 'unconstitutional' move of the then caretaker Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to postpone elections for one more year. This was the violation of constitution and all political parties are responsible for the present situation. His Majesty the King had to take a bold and timely action to protect democracy and constitution. His Majesty the King has publicly expressed commitment to uphold the constitution, constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy. But the political parties, which ruled the country for the last 12 years, interpreted the constitution to suit their personal and partisan interest and violated the very essence of constitution and democratic norms. Parties in power resorted to all kinds of dirty games just to cling to power. It was the period when the country saw a record political instability, rise in corruption and all kinds of political perversions. As a result, the nation and the people have to face the present crisis. Thus, the parties have no moral right to raise the issue of constitutionality. At a time when the government is seriously engaged in peace building, parties need to extend a helping hand and fulfil the historic responsibility. Instead, these parties are only trying to create a roadblock to the peace process. It is a time when all of us have to brush aside all our partisan and individual differences and get involved in the peace process to solve the national problems once and for all.

Eradicating TB

AT the call of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nepal too is observing today as World Tuberculosis Day with appropriate programmes to not only raise the people's awareness concerning the deadly effects of this killer disease but also to make them aware of the necessity to take proper precautions and treatment to protect themselves from this malady. That it has become imperative on the part of the concerned health authorities to launch sustained anti-TB campaigns throughout the country to safeguard the precious lives of the people can be seen from the approximately 5,000-7,000 persons succumbing to this deadly malady every year. Furthermore, that every year about 40,000 new TB cases are added to the existing 80,000 TB patients in the country. However, considering the existing state and stage of the nation's health sector on the one hand and the over-stretched and heavily burdened medical treatment facilities and services on the other, not only the number of TB patients in the country but also the yearly additions of TB cases could be more than the figures mentioned above. For, it is well know to all by now that the people living in the remote and inaccessible areas of the country have yet to have recourse to even primary health services and facilities. Since TB is a highly contagious disease, what simply cannot be overlooked by all, including the concerned health authorities, is that the lack of even primary health services and facility could not only greatly exacerbate but also abet the existing TB problem and challenge faced by the nation.
Hence, if the alarming march of this deadly disease were to be severely blunted, then it behooves upon the concerned health authorities to take primary health services and facilities to the doorsteps of all those residing in the remote areas that are still devoid of such amenities. Similarly, the concerned authorities should and must launch concerted campaigns to not only make the people as well as the TB patients aware that this malady, despite its deadly effects, is indeed curable but, more importantly, that there are also powerful drugs and proven treatment courses like DOTS freely available to them.