The Primary Health Care (PHC) Center in Panchkhal, Kavre, received medical equipment worth NPR 19,05,258 with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) through the KOICA Alumni Association of Nepal (KAAN).

A handover ceremony for the equipment took place on November 3, 2023, at the PHC Center in Panchkhal, attended by representatives from KOICA, KAAN, Panchkhal Municipality, and the PHC.

The main objective of this program is to support medical equipment to upgrade the health services/facility of the PHC. KOICA-KAAN believes that the support will contribute in strengthening the capacity of the PHC to provide better service to the people of the municipality. Simultaneously, KOICA-KAAN support is expected to boost the PHC’s performance.

The Primary Health Care (PHC) Center, operating under the Panchkhal Municipality, has a long-standing history of providing essential healthcare services to the residents of Panchkhal and neighboring municipalities. Considering the situation of the PHC that it has been recently upgraded to 15 bedded hospital, KOICA-KAAN supported the following medical equipment -1 Ultrasonography Machine-Mindray Z50, 1 ECG Machine, 12 Fetal Doppler, 1 Portable OT Light, 12 Glucometer with Stripe and 12 Digital BP Machine. Out of these equipment Fetal Doppler, Glucometer with stripe and Digital BP machine would be given to other 11 PHC under Panchkhal Municipality.

Ms. Jeong-Eun Song, Deputy Country Director of KOICA Nepal, expressed the South Korean Government's commitment to strengthening Nepal's health sector through KOICA. KOICA has been actively involved in supporting Nepal's healthcare infrastructure by establishing three hospitals in Thimi, Nuwakot, and Mugu, as well as deploying doctors and health professionals to enhance medical services.

Ms. Song commended the dedicated efforts of the PHC team and management, highlighting their invaluable contributions. She expressed her optimism that this support, though modest, would play a meaningful role in uplifting the hospital's service quality and increasing institutional deliveries in the near future. KOICA is confident that the hospital will be inspired to continue its significant work in the days to come.

Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of proper utilization of medical equipment and its distribution among other health posts in Panchkhal Municipality. She urged the hospital management to handle this support with sincerity, ensuring it benefits a maximum number of patients in the days to come.

KOICA, through KAAN, has also extended support to low-profile hospitals and health centers by providing necessary health equipment and COVID-related equipments/items after the COVID pandemic.

Mahesh Kharel, Mayor of Panchkhal Municipality thanked the government of South Korea for the support to PHC, Panchkhal and expect similar type of support in coming days.

KAAN is a voluntary association formed by the alumni’s of KOICA Fellowship Program.

Every year KOICA sends around 80-100 government officials to Korea in short as well as long term fellowship/scholarship programs. After the completion of program these fellows join KAAN and organize or participate in different voluntary and knowledge sharing activities throughout the year. KOICA has been supporting KAAN every year in different assistance programs such as seminars/workshop, donation programs etc. within and outside the valley.

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