KATHMANDU, JUNE 4
The Government of the Republic of Korea has provided Nepal with complete sets of RT-PCR test kits worth USD 200,000.
The Korean government through Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) handed the medical supplies that will enable health authorities to carry out 17,760 PCR tests to the Ministry of Health and Population, today.
Korean Ambassador to Nepal Park Chong-suk handed over the kits to Dr Roshan Pokhrel, Chief Specialist, at Health Coordination Division of MoHP in Tribhuvan International Airport.
According to the statement issued by the Korean Embassy on Friday, the PCR test kits are complete sets, composed of three different types of kits required for collection, transfer and stable diagnosis of Covid-19.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Roshan Pokhrel expressed gratitude to the Korean government for extending continuous helping hand to Nepal during the pandemic.
During the handover event, Korean ambassador Chong-suk, expressed that, "this assistance will support the Government of Nepal to conduct mass testing of the citizens of Nepal to control widespread of the second wave of COVID 19."
In order to support the Nepal government in its fight against the second wave of COVID 19 pandemic, KOICA will continuously put its efforts to support the Government of Nepal, added Sunghoon Ko, Country Director, KOICA.
In addition to this, KOICA has procured 378 oxygen concentrators for the Ministry of Health and Population and it is scheduled to be delivered by July/August, claimed the embassy statement.
The Korean government has been contributing to support Nepal's efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, it had provided more than 40 thousand complete sets of RT-PCR test kits to the MoHP and, KOICA, in particular, provided PPE, gloves, masks, sanitisers etc. worth USD 75,000 to various hospitals.
Korea has always extended its support to Nepal during its tough times be it disaster like earthquake and floods or pandemic. Korea has been gradually increasing its grant assistance to Nepal over the years, the embassy said.
