Health items arrive from China and India

Kathmandu, Apr 22

India and China have sent medicines and other materials needed in the fight against COVID-19.

Indian support of medicines was handed over to the Ministry of Health and Population by the Indian Embassy Kathmandu on Wednesday.

Ambassador of India to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra handed over 23 tonnes of medicines to Minister for Health and Population Bhanubhakta Dhakal at the Ministry.

The consignment included 320,000 dosages of Paracetamol and 250,000 dosages of Hydroxychloroquine.

This initiative manifests continuing cooperation of India and Nepal in all situations and circumstances, said the Indian Embassy in a statement.

According to the embassy, the support was the part of the US $10 million pledged to the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the video conference held among the SAARC leaders on March 15.

“Our leaders have shown commitment to fight COVID-19 pandemic and protect our people. Indian and Nepali health professionals are collaborating their efforts on ground to contain and stop this pandemic,” said the embassy.

India also reiterated its commitment to prepare, act and succeed together in partnership with Nepal and other South Asian countries in this hour of challenge.

Similarly, medical supplies sent by China’s autonomous region, Tibet, arrived in Nepal on Wednesday.

Chinese authorities handed over the items to Nepali officials at China-Nepal Friendship Bridge at the Tatopani border point.

The batch of medical supplies included 10,000 N95 masks, 10,000 personal protection equipment (PPE), 1,000 infrared thermometers, 2 PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) machines, 20,000 testing kits (including 20,000 Viral Transport Medium (VTM) and 50 boxes of disinfectant wet pipes.

“China and Nepal have always maintained solidarity and helped each other in fighting against COVID-19. The Chinese Embassy will continue to strengthen communication and coordination, provide support and assistance to Nepal within our capacity,” said the Chinese Embassy  in a statement.

It also maintained that the embassy attached great importance to Nepal’s demand for medical supplies and coordinated with different parties to collect those materials.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 April 2020.