The risk of mpox infection cases is rising in Nepal as a large number of individuals from India are entering Nepal daily without undergoing screening.
There is a health desk at the Gaddachauki checkpoint in Kanchanpur where health workers are deployed.
While tests for coronavirus, AIDS, and dengue are conducted, mpox tests are not currently available.
The government has been unable to conduct mpox tests for individuals returning to Nepal from India.
World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a state of emergency after mpox infection took a heavy toll in Africa. Even though a case of mpox has been confirmed in India, the government has been unable to conduct tests for mpox at the border points.
Around 300 people are returning to Nepal via Gaddachauki border point daily. The unavailability of mpox test kits has posed infection risks in Nepal, too.
Health workers are permitting individuals to enter Nepal by merely observing the condition of their eyes. If they find anyone suspicious, they advise them to seek medical attention at a hospital. It's not certain, whether they will go to the hospital or not.
An mpox test is not conducted at the border point due to the lack of test kits, said lab technician Laxmi Rimal Dhami.
"We have no test kits, no have we received any training regarding it," she said, "We advise them to go to a hospital if they have systems similar to mpox. This advice is based on information gathered from online sources.
Seven suspicious India returnees have been referred to a hospital.
The health screening of those who come on foot is conducted but those coming via vehicle are entering unchecked, said Dhami.
Some people land in New Delhi from third countries and come to Nepal. Further, a large number of people are coming to Nepal for the Dashain festival via the land of India, which poses a risk of mpox.
"We have no kits available for conducting mpox tests. We have received a circular to do a screening. We are doing screening based on observation. We have referred seven suspicious individuals to hospitals."
