Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) signed the Record of Discussion (RoD) for “The Project For Capacity Building Of Medical Service To Achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) For The Poor In Vulnerable Areas In Bhaktapur, Nepal” on 15November 2022 at MoFAGA.

The main objective of this project is to enhance the capacity of medical infrastructure and professionals for quality hospital management, infection control, and improved coverage of public health insurance to attain the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Bhaktapur, Nepal which will be implemented by KOICA in Nepal Korea Friendship Municipality Hospital (NKFMH) in close collaboration and coordination with MoFAGA and MadhyapurThimi Municipality.

The RoD was signed by Sunghoon Ko, Country Director of KOICA Nepal Office and Rudra Singh Tamang, Joint Secretary of the MoFAGASurendra Shrestha, Mayor and Bijaya Krishna Shrestha, Deputy Mayor of the MadhyapurThimi Municipalitywere present at the ceremony.The Korean Government through Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has allocated USD 9 million for the project.

In the program, Joint Secretary Tamang expressed the importance of well-equipped and capacitated health facilities on maternal and child health care and to control the massively increasing health infection issues. He further extended his gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Korea for the partnership which will enhance the friendly relation between the two countries. He further assured to fully cooperate for the successful implementation of this project.

During the event, Ko expressed his concerns on the mortality rate of mother and child that still exist in the city areas of Nepal and he expressed that this project shall be an important support to strengthen the capacity of existing health facilities and delivery of quality health care.

The Government of the Republic of Korea has been supporting the Government of Nepal through KOICA in various areas of health, vocational training, rural development and IT since 1991.