COVID-19: India gifts medical oxygen plant to Nepal

Kathmandu [Nepal], August 26 (ANI): India on Thursday gifted a medical oxygen plant to Nepal to support the Himalayan nation tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a press statement by the Indian embassy here, the medical oxygen plant has been installed at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, and is designed to cater to providing 5 Litres Per Minute (LPM) per person amounting to a total capacity of 960 LPM.

It thereby carries a capacity to serve 200 patients simultaneously.

“As part of India’s robust partnership with Nepal in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, Ambassador of India to Nepal, Vinay Mohan Kwatra handed over a 960 LPM Medical Oxygen Plant to Minister of State for Health, Umesh Shrestha at a ceremony organized at the Ministry of Health & Population on 26 August 2021,” the statement read.

At the ceremony, the ambassador highlighted the significance of the deep-rooted and multifaceted partnership between India and Nepal and reiterated that this gift symbolised India’s continued commitment to Nepal in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Shrestha mentioned that the donation of an oxygen plant as a critical health infrastructure that would reinforce Nepal’s efforts in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

He added that the assistance by the Indian government two decades ago in building BPKIHS in Dharan was an important milestone, and the addition of an oxygen plant today is another milestone that would go a long way in serving the people of Nepal particularly Provinces 1 and 2.

The embassy said the Indian government will continue to stand with Nepal and its people in fighting the pandemic and providing necessary assistance as best possible in accordance with our deep-rooted bilateral ties. (ANI)