KATHMANDU: The Tikapur Hospital in Kailali district constructed a new maternity building with a financial support from the Korean government.

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Nepal Country Director Hyungkyoo Kim and Far-Western Regional Health Director Dr Sushil Nath Pyakuryal jointly inaugurated the building as well as 26-bedded hospital building amid a function on Sunday.

Now, the hospital has been upgraded to the capacity of 51 beds.

During the ceremony, the officials hoped that the health facility could better deliver health services to the general public in the area after the inauguration.

The building was constructed with the grant assistance of USD 5.5 million, according to a statement issued by the KOICA Nepal Office today.

Earlier, on December 9, 2011, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Nepal and Korean governments for the same.

Meanwhile, KOICA also established six health posts in Tikapur area and supported medical equipment there.

KOICA said it had been supporting Nepal through National Health Insurance Support Programme (NHISP) since 2013.