KATHMANDU, May 27: Volunteer students, faculty and staff of King’s College, King’s Club of King’s College, Nepal in collaboration with Nepal Medical Association (NMA), Nursing Association of Nepal (NAN), Karuna Foundation and Adara Group have come together to start a Quarantine Center for Nursing Professionals’ at Babarmahal, Kathmandu.
“Given the current circumstances, it is necessary for everyone to step up at their levels and support the pandemic relief activities. We - students, faculty, alumni - at King’s are immensely proud to have this opportunity to serve nursing professionals who play such a critical role in saving lives of patients”, Narottam Aryal, president of King's College, said.
Nurturing nurses
Solving the dire need of the moment, the new building of King’s College at Babarmahal is being used as a “Quarantine Center for Nursing Professionals” from May 24. The medical and nursing associations are coordinating the operations of the Quarantine Center, whereas King’s Club and King’s College, the focal communication point for the initiative, are taking care of on-site logistics, funding, and administration in partnership with Karuna Foundation Nepal and Adara Group.
Professor Mana Kumari Rai, the President of the Nursing Association of Nepal, pointed out that there are high possibilities of nurses being carriers of the virus while they are treating COVID patients.
Initially, the quarantine center will house 25 nurses and will increase its capacity to accommodate 100 nurses as the demand surges. The center has the provision of beds, bedding, and essentials, a 3-course balanced diet every day, regular visits from doctors to monitor and provide any other important services related to the physical and mental well-being of those in quarantine. All the resources at the quarantine center will be provided free of cost. Nurses willing to come and live in the quarantine will have to contact the Nursing Association of Nepal, which is the authorized body in screening.
King’s College and King’s Club through organizational networking are raising the required funds to run the quarantine center. Nitishala and Society of Ex-Budhanilkantha Students (SEBS), Nepal are supporting the fundraising as a local fundraising partner. German non-profit Impact Week and SEBS - North America are supporting international fundraising partner.Upaya City Cargo support the movement of logistics and essentials. Along with these organizations, various other organizations have extended their support to this initiative, namely Nepal Red Cross Society, Vianet Communication Pvt Ltd, YetiChem Distributors, Halesi Decor, Sanitation Suppliers Pvt Ltd and other organizations and individuals.
