In the narrow alley of Maru Tole in the heart of Kathmandu, 77-year-old Sulochana Pradhan spends her days watching tv news, waiting for word on the second dose of the Covishield vaccine.
In March, when Nepal became one of the first countries in the region to start Covid-19 vaccinations with Covishield vaccines for people over 65, Pradhan was among 1.4 million elderly Nepalis who got the jabs. But it has now been 12 weeks, and time is running out for the second dose to boost their immunity against the coronavirus.
“I am scared to even go out, and my relatives have been helping me in procuring supplies. Maybe getting the second dose would have been easier if I had taken the Chinese vaccine instead,” says Pradhan who is a childless widow.
Since the lockdown she has not been able to even visit her extended family. She passes the day watching television, or talking to the children of the family that rents her downstairs apartment.
“Last year, I wasn’t that concerned, and I also didn’t understand much about this disease. But this year, I saw how many people were suffering because of hunger and the new strain of Covid-19. This time the situation is serious, and I am worried,” says Pradhan.
Only 8.5% of Nepal’s 30 million people have received the first dose of vaccines, and just 2.4% have got both shots. Over 300,000 elderly people above 65, mainly in the rural areas, have yet to receive even their first dose. This week, Lalitpur municipality is inoculating people above 77 with second doses from a leftover stock.
“Many elderly Nepalis are waiting for their second doses of Covishield, but a lot more have not even got the first dose of Chinese VereoCell because of inadequate response from the government,” says Krishna Murari Gautam of the non-profit, Ageing Nepal. “The elderly who have got both doses tend to be from privileged and affluent sections of society.”
Aside from vaccines, the pandemic and the nationwide lockdown has been most challenging for the elderly, who are living alone or only with their partners. Apart from the fear of the coronavirus, many have other pre-existing ailments.
In Biratnagar, Sita Kafle and her husband Mukesh*, both in their sixties, showed Covid symptoms last year. Sita’s symptoms were mild but Mukesh, who is a liver patient, recovered after much difficulty. Their only daughter lives in Australia, but was unable to come home due to the travel ban. Neighbours and relatives helped out.
“We couldn’t go out since both of us had the virus. It was difficult,” recalls Sita. Once they recovered, both got vaccinated with Covishield but like Pradhan, they are also awaiting the second dose.
Before the pandemic, the couple used to travel to India every three months for Mukesh’s follow-up at a hospital there. But as the second wave gripped India, they had to get checkups in Biratnagar. But even that has not been possible now because of the lockdown.
“It is very risky,” says Sita. “For now, we are in regular contact with the doctor. But if something happens, things are going to be very tough. We would have felt safer with the second dose.”
On Wednesday Lalitpur municipality started inoculating people above 77 with second doses from a leftover stock. Photos: Amit Machamasi
Even before the pandemic, Sulochana Pradhan had a host of ailments that included chronic neck pains and regularly occurring dizziness. But she has to deal with a deep sense of foreboding not just about her previous afflictions but also Covid-19.
“When I hear the news about people dying of hunger and because of Covid, it scares me. I don’t know what is happening” says Pradhan.
Paras Pokharel, a professor at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine in BPKIHS Dharan says the elderly are facing the double burden of physical ailments and psychological stress.
“Living alone at a time like this can be dangerous. It is not so much the fear of dying, what worries them most is dying alone,” Pokharel adds.
For the elderly who depended on daily wages for income to take care of themselves, the lockdown has been even more disastrous. Like for Bimala BK, who lives alone in a small rented room in Dharan. For the past 20 years, she has been working as a house help. Her husband left her 15 years ago, and her only son is working in India.
“After the lockdown there is no work, I just stay home doing nothing. If this continues, people will start dying of hunger,” says BK who has been to her Ward office several times, but to no avail. “Last year they gave us two bags of rice and lentils, but this time there has been nothing.”
She has been living on the generosity of her neighbours and a sister who lives nearby. Like millions of other Nepalis, Bimala BK has not been vaccinated, and it will probably be a long time before her time comes.
“Even my son is out of a job because of the situation in India. I am all alone here, but I have to eat, but what can I do?” she says.
Homes for the elderly like the Bishranti Mandhir Bridha Ashram in Dhankuta are also running out of money as private donations dry up to care for its 55 elderly residents.
“Before we were visited by multiple philanthropists daily, but these days they do not come anymore,” says Kamala Dahal, a resident at the Ashram.
Says Krishna Murari Gautam of Ageing Nepal: “For the residents of many old age homes, vaccines are a future luxury. Their immediate need is food.”
*Some names have been changed.
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