WHO donates over 2,000 oxygen concentrators and other essential medical supplies to the MoHP

Kathmandu: The World Health Organization (WHO), Country Office for Nepal, has handed over essential medicines and supplies worth US $1.8 million to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) as part of its continued assistance to strengthen the COVID-19 response in the country.

The supplies which included over 250,000 ampoules of Dexamethasone; 2,000 sets of oxygen concentrators; 24,000 sets of venturi masks; nearly 500,000 sets of venturi masks with oxygen nasal cannula; 600,000 pieces of FFP2 respirator masks; and 500,000 surgical gloves were handed over to Honorable Mr Umesh Shrestha, State Minister for Health and Population, by Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, WHO Representative to Nepal, during a program held at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku.

“We’re handing over this equipment and supplies at a time when the country is beginning to see a rise in case numbers and an increase in hospitalization of COVID-19 patients. Treatment and management of severe and critical cases of COVID-19 is an area WHO has been supporting the government with, and today’s handover is one part of that support. We’re glad to have been able to provide assistance in this regard,” said Dr Rajesh Pandav.

“On behalf of the Government of Nepal, I would like to thank WHO for providing these supplies to us. Since the onset of the pandemic, WHO has been supporting the Ministry in a variety of areas related to the COVID-19 response. The high number of oxygen concentrators and other essential medical supplies donated today will help strengthen our COVID-19 response and help fill critical gaps in supply. The Ministry will now work on distributing these across the country to ensure that these reach the poor and remote areas of Nepal where it is needed the most,” said State Minister for Health, Mr Umesh Shrestha.

According to the dissemination plan prepared by the MoHP, the supplies will be distributed to all 7 Provincial Health Logistics Management Centers (PHLMCs), and to 28 hospitals spread across Nepal. The MoHP aims to start sending out shipment carrying these supplies to the provinces within this week.