The Korea International Cooperation Agency(KOICA) has stated that a quarantine facility for suspected patients of COVID-19 has been set up at the Nuwakot Hospital. With the quarantine facility, KOICA seeks to support the Government of Nepal with regards to securing preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19.

The Nuwakot Hospital in Nepal is constructed with the support from the Government of Republic of Korea through KOICA, as part of its project to reconstruct the medical and health system of Nepal that collapsed due to the damage caused by the earthquake in 2015, and it is set to be completed by the end of March, 2020.

Although the hospital is yet to formally open its services to the public, considering the lack of medical facilities in Nepal and the urgency to respond to the COVID-19 situation, KOICA plans to set up and operate the quarantine facility first. Currently, 10 beds has been set up in the facility and more beds are to be set up, depending on the situation.

As of March 27th, Nepal has 3 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the first case of which have been fully recovered. The two patients, currently under treatment, had tested positive after they recently returned to Nepal, respectively from France and UAE. Considering that the list of people in close contact with the confirmed patients and carriers of the virus had not been clearly identified, it is necessary to secure proper medical and public facilities for quarantine, to avoid further spread of the virus in Nepal.

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Government of Nepal had suspended international flights to and from the Tribhuvan International Airport, and with the second confirmed case in 23rd, the government announced a complete lockdown for a week from the 24th of March.

After the COVID-19 situation is settled, the newly established hospital in Nuwakot is to have its formal opening ceremony and provide quality health and medical services to the public, as the biggest and most well-equipped hospital in the region. With the support from KOICA, the hospital is expected to be a facility to rebuild and strengthen the regional health system of Nepal.