China provides Nepal with emergency assistance of anti-pandemic supplies

The handover ceremony of anti-pandemic supplies to Nepal, donated by the government of Tibet autonomous region of China, was held at the Nepal Consulate General in Lhasa on May 20.

The assistance was carried out with the support and guidance of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). The emergency aid of anti-pandemic medical supplies includes 30,000 liters of canned liquid oxygen, 800 full-filled oxygen cylinders, five ventilators, 200 intensive care unit beds, 10 oxygen generators and 15,000 antigen detection reagents.

Jiang Jie, executive vice-chairman of the Tibet autonomous regional government, said since last year the region has donated several batches of anti-pandemic medical supplies and production and living materials to Nepal through different channels, making every effort to support Nepal's fight against the pandemic. He said he hopes this batch of medical supplies can help meet urgent needs of the Nepalese people and save more lives.

Navaraj Dhakal, consul general of Nepal in Lhasa, said that Nepal and China have a long history of friendly and harmonious relations, and they share difficulties with each other. Whether it was the earthquake in 2015 or the outbreak of COVID-19 last year, China lent a helping hand in Nepal's time of need, which the Nepalese people are grateful for and remember in their hearts.

Since April 2021, a second round of the pandemic has hit Nepal hard, with the number of infections and deaths rising. Over the past five days, the average number of infections has reached 8,000 per day, with a total of about 120,000 positive patients being quarantined at home or treated in hospitals, said Dhakal.

He added that the situation in Nepal is deteriorating due to the lack of adequate oxygen supplies and medical equipment. At this critical moment, China has extended a helping hand by donating and delivering medical supplies and equipment, for which Nepal expresses its heartfelt thanks.