KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 16
In order to combat the COVID-19 crisis in Nepal, the French Government (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Crisis and Support Centre) and IDEMIA, global leader in Augmented Identity, have joined hands to send to Nepal spare parts for oxygen plants built by a French company, NOVAIR.
"As many places in the world are still seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases, preparation plays a key role in saving lives. In this regard, the French Government and IDEMIA have jointly sponsored spare parts for oxygen plants worth 48,000 euros built by NO- VAIR to eight hospitals so that they would be able to ensure continuous function of these life-saving machines," said French Ambassador François-Xavier Léger during the handover ceremony today.
"IDEMIA is very honoured to be part of this solidarity project, an important step towards the achievement of our CSR IMPACT pillars to uphold and step up our support for local communities, as it has a longstanding relation with the Nepali Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs. This is a great opportunity to thank the Nepal government and to convey the message that we are all in this situation together," said Tim Ferris, Senior Vice-president, Asia Pacific, IDEMIA.
The hospitals benefiting from this operation are Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur; Surkhet Pradeshik Hospital, Surkhet; Fewa City Hospital, Pokhara; Okhaldhunga Community Hospital, Okhaldhunga; Fishtail Hospital, Pokhara; Lumbini Pradeshik Hospital, Butwal; Dadeldhura Pradeshik Hospital, Dadeldhura; and Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu.
The spare parts were handed over to the representatives of the hospitals by Ambassador Léger.
This support is in addition to a seven-tonne humanitarian cargo containing masks, antigen test kits, and ventilators sent on June 2 by the French Government in solidarity with Nepal's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 17 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
