Ethical dimensions of stigma and discrimination in Nepal during COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic has ultimately brought down the world in a status of standstill as a result of lockdown as one of the measures to combat the situation and to prevent cross transmission. On the other hand, it has raised issues like ethical obligation of medical doctors and other staff to attend COVID-19 patients without proper PPE and resources increasing the risk to the staff and their family. In addition, it has resulted in compromise of the services provided to the people like non-availability of medical services to chronic and non-urgent patients. Non-COVID-19 patients attending ‘Fever Clinic’ were harmed due to inappropriate management. Medical staff dealing with testing or working in hospitals, isolation wards or quarantine centres have been stigmatized as ‘possibly infected’ and even denied food and accommodation.