Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) donated six types of medical items total worth USD 78,000 to 4 partner hospitals of KOICA. Park Young-Sik, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea handed over the medical items to the respective chairpersons and medical Directors of those Hospitals. The total worth is US$ 91000.00

The medical items for donations contain PPE 790 sets, KN95 4690 pieces, Surgical Masks 2185, Surgical gloves 4400, hand sanitizer 600 liters and infrared thermometer 50 pieces.

KOICA utilized budget from volunteer cooperation activity, KOICA Alumni Association of Nepal (KAAN)'s annual activity and Nuwakot project for the Establishment of Nuwakot District Hospital and Health Posts in partnership with GNI.

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has donated six types of medical items for COVID-19 response to the four Hospitals (Trishuli Hospital, Nuwakot, Nepal Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital (NKFMH), Bhaktapur, Tikapur Hospital, Kailali and Dhulikhel Hospital, Kavre) for strengthening their capacity to deal with COVID-19 since these hospitals have been assigned COVID-19 response by the Nepal Government and concerned Municipality.

“KOICA takes it as a matter of pride that the hospitals established by KOICA and its partner hospital are designated as COVID-19 focal hospital. Among these 4 hospitals, 3 hospitals Dhulikhel, Tikapur and Trishuli are designated as COVID-19 response hospitals by the Ministry of Health and Population and Provincial governments. The NKFMH has been assigned to deal with COVID-19 by the Madhyapur Thimi Municipality,” said a press release issued by KOICA.

KOICA aims to strengthen the ability of health workers to provide services in a safer environment through this logistic support. Ultimately, due to continuous uninterrupted services by these hospitals, It is expected to provide services to more than 4 million Nepali people. The target benefices of these hospitals are mainly people from rural areas and people with low income.

KOICA also has started COVID-19 awareness campaign by making a social distancing youtube video clip and invited Vice-chancellor of the Kathmandu University for Stay Strong online relay campaigns along with medical equipment support as well.

Ambassador Park expressed that this donation will support the health workers of these hospitals to provide their services in a very safe manner so that the hospitals can actively combat COVID-19.

Sunghoon Ko, Country Director of KOICA explained that KOICA has been supporting Nepal’s health sector including the establishment of 3 hospitals and recently these hospitals are officially designated for COVID-19 response by the government. Therefore, KOICA expects that this donation will contribute to strengthening the capacity to prevent infection of COVID-19 in each hospital.

Binod Bidari, President of KAAN expressed his solidarity in KOICA’s efforts to strengthen these 4 hospitals, which are strategically very important at this juncture of time when medical services to deal with COVID-19 are not well prepared.

The donated items were received by Arjun Prasad Neupane, Chairman of Trishuli District Hospital, Deepak Rawal, Chairman of Tikapur Hospital, Dr. Biraj Karmacharya, Director of Dhulikhel Hospital and Dr. Gyan Kayastha, Executive Director of NKFMH for their respective hospitals.

In the donation ceremony, all the representatives of four different hospitals expressed their gratitude to KOICA for such valuable support. Dr. Gyan, Executive Director of NKFMH said that KOICA has always made a meaningful contribution to the health sector in Nepal. The Korean government and KOICA have always supported Nepal with lots of sincerity. He hoped that in the future as well the Korean Government will continue to support Nepal to carry out the fight against this pandemic.

Trishuli Hospital is constructed by KOICA as a post-disaster recovery program in Nuwakot District. It is a 50-bed government standard District Hospital, which is currently managing 10 beds as an isolation ward to deal with COVID-19. KOICA supported Trishuli hospital by providing newly established hospital building to establish isolation wards. In addition to this, KOICA has also installed an oxygen plant in this hospital.

Nepal Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital is one of the first 50 bed hospital established by KOICA and handed over to the Government of Nepal in 2009, which is under the Madhyapur Thimi Municipality. This hospital has prepared 16 beds as an isolation ward and is also capable of conducting PCR tests to identify COVID-19.

KOICA has continuously dispatched Korean medical doctors, nurses and other medical staff to this hospital. Currently, Dr. Byungcheol KIM is providing his valuable services in this hospital. Dr. Kim has recently developed an awareness video for Nepali people to deal with COVID-19. This video is available on youtube and it is being widely viewed.

Similarly, Tikapur Hospital is a 50-bed district hospital established by KOICA along with 7 health posts to strengthen the quality of health care in that region. This hospital was handed over to the MoHP in 2016, since then it has been providing quality health care in the region. Currently, this hospital has 12 isolation beds to deal with COVID-19.

Dhulikhel Hospital is a Kathmandu University Medical College hospital, which is proving services to large numbers of populations with low income. This hospital has currently maintained 10 isolation wards and is ready to take a large number of COVID-19 affected patients. The hospital is also involved in mass testing of Corona. KOICA is soon starting a project to strengthen the outreach centers of this hospital and improve the livelihood of the rural population of project sites.

In addition to this, KOICA provided USD13,000 to the local governments Sunawal and Madhyabindu Municipality and 4 rural municipalities Susta, Pratappur, Phalinandan and Sarawal of Nawalpur and Nawalparasi districts as a relief fund to support 433 households of these areas through GNI which is the implementing partner for KOICA Inclusive Rural Development in Nawalparasi (IRDN) Livelihood Improvement Project (LIP) in Nawalparasi district.

KOICA utilized this budget from the project ‘Inclusive Rural Development in Nawalparasi’. The allocated budget is being utilized by the local units to provide food items like rice lentil oil and other necessary items to vulnerable people in the project site.

“Korean people, the Korean government and KOICA have always stood by Nepal’s development endeavors. As a true friend, Korea has always extended its hand during any disasters faced by Nepal. KOICA is continuing its activities through various partner I/NGOs and UN agencies to support Nepal to deal with COVID-19 pandemic,” said a press release.