네팔 코로나 위중증 환자 살린 ‘산소탱크’…병상 부족해 재택 치료

*아시아엔 해외필진 기고문의 한글번역본과 원문을 함께 게재합니다.

[아시아엔=펨바 셰르파 <아시아엔> 네팔통신원, 네팔·히말라야트레킹가이드] 코로나19 대유행으로 인해 개발도상국이자 정치적으로 여전히 불안정한 필자의 모국 네팔은 인도 등의 이웃나라에 의존할 수밖에 없었다.

인도에서 코로나19 2차 유행이 시작됐을 당시, 네팔 정부는 적절한 조치를 취하지 않았다. 이로 인해 국가의 의료시스템이 붕괴됐고, 또 많은 이들이 목숨을 잃었다. 인도에서 일자리를 잃은 네팔의 노동자들이 모국으로 돌아왔고 코로나는 더욱 확산됐다.

네팔 정부는 사태가 심각해진 후에야 국경을 폐쇄했으나, 시기를 놓친 후였다. 정당들은 민생보다 정쟁에 열중했고, 국민들은 지쳐만 갔다. 백신을 받지 못한 이들의 분노는 쌓여만 갔다.

전국 의료기관의 병실도 꽉 차 있었으며, 산소조차 모자랐다. 병원 앞에 늘어선 환자들은 연일 쓰러져 갔다. 권력 또는 돈이 있어야만 병실을 차지할 수 있었다. 위중한 상황임에도 정부는 속수무책이었다. 보건부는 “중증 환자만 입원시키라”는 지침을 내렸으나, 중증환자들도 환자용 침대나 산소를 제대로 공급받지 못해 사망하곤 했다.

필자의 가족도 코로나19를 피해갈 수는 없었다. 코로나19 확진판정을 받고 병원으로 향했으나 “중환자실 침대가 꽉 찼으니 다른 병원을 알아보라”는 답을 들었다. 수십 개의 병원을 돌아다녔지만 돌아오는 답은 마찬가지였다. 집에서 격리하는 것이 현실적인 방법이었지만, 어린 아이들도 있어 곤란했다. 그래서 친척의 빈 집에서 격리하기로 결정했다.

격리 이후 우리는 트레킹 동료의 사무실에 연락해 산소탱크 확보에 주력했다. 또 환자들의 기운을 북돋기 위해 민간요법을 동원했다. 의료진도 산소마스크와 맥박 및 혈압측정기 등 의료 기기를 전달해줬고, 우리도 사용법을 숙지해 나름의 생존전략을 세울 수 있었다. 유튜브를 통해 산소통 사용방법을 배운 동생의 역할이 컸다. 그렇게 20~25일을 버티자 상태가 그나마 나아졌다. 우리는 몇 가지 검사를 받기 위해 병원을 찾았고, 의사는 상태를 수시로 확인하라고 조언해줬다.

두려운 순간의 연속이었다. 그럼에도 우리는 주변 사람들의 도움으로 극복할 수 있었다. 이 시기동안 많은 사람들이 목숨을 잃었다. 그들의 영혼이 천국에서 평안하기를 기도한다.

몇달 지난 지금 네팔도 분위기가 달라졌다. 거의 모든 국민들이 코로나19 백신을 맞았고, 국민들은 정부가 3차 대유행에 앞선 대비책을 마련하기를 바라고 있다. 코로나19 백신과 의료품을 지원해준 모든 국가들에게도 깊은 감사를 드린다. 네팔에서 사랑을 담아…

Covid-19, Pandemic Nepal 2021 being a developing country and Unstable politics our Country Nepal has to Depend on many things to our Neighboring Country specially India, event he Covid-19 Pandemic.

When 2nd wave of Covid-19 was rising in India, our Nepal government didn’t take properaction, or make any better plan. 2nd wave was deadlier and lots of people lost their life. The Health system was collapsed.

Because of open boarder with India lots of migrants who lost their job in India returned from the Boarder and they brought Covid-19 inside the Country. The government was trying to control the Covid-19 by doing lock down after the Covid-19 spread badly; they didn’t take proper action in time. And the political parties were busy doing rallies and meetings, citizens were also tired of the lockdown for long time and everyone was furious for not getting vaccinations in time. At the same time, the Hospitals were all full; there were no ICU beds available, there was beds shortage in all hospitals over the country, no bottled oxygen for patients. Patients were dying in front of Hospitals. To get one bed they have to use political power or money power, its shame that normal people died without getting bed in hospitals.

At that Situation the government was helpless so the Health Department announced the hospitals should admit people with serious conditions only’’. So remaining Patients those whose conditions were not serious they have to stay at home Isolations. But even serious patients didn’t get any bed or oxygen from hospitals so we had to manage oxygen and everything by ourselves. Lots of patients died while looking for oxygen bottle or waiting for the refill of oxygen.

So, my family also found Covid-19 positive and pneumonia, the hospital where we done checked up said the condition of the patients is serious, need to admit immediately, Oxygen level is 50 to 60 and it’s getting low but our hospital ICU bed is full, please try to find other hospitals. So, we were worried and helpless we checked with dozens of hospitals but we didn’t get any bed or oxygen. We had no other option left besides isolating ourselves at home, but we were more worried because there were small kids at home. We isolate ourselves in a separate vacant room of our relative who was staying in village at that moment and no one was in their room.

We contacted our trekkers friend’s office and managed some used oxygen tanks which we used in trekking for emergencies. And continued to look for oxygen bottles, while patient was taking normal medicine and other natural herbs. And we forced our patients to take more Soup items. We brought oxygen masks, oximeter from medical ourselves. Finally, we were able to manage oxygen bottle and my Younger Brother Ang Tendu Sherpa learned how to use it from YouTube.

He took care of the small kids and we need to refill oxygen daily; we managed a nurse to take care of the medicine, took steam and drank lots of herbal drinks. Oxygen used to drop down easily when we removed the oxygen so after continue providing Oxygen for more than 20 to 25 days patients got little normal. Then we went to see the doctor to do few checks and the doctor told us to check time to time.

It was a scary moment; thankfully we overcome it with the help of all friends and Family…. Lots of people lost their life at that period. We pray that their soul rest in peace in Heaven. Now almost all the citizens are also vaccinated and hope our government have made proper plan for the 3rd wave of Covid. We are very thankful to all the Nations that have helped with the Vaccine and the medical supplies during those pandemic….Love from Nepal.