EU mobilizes Rs 282 million to help Nepal  contain recent coronavirus surge

KATHMANDU, May 13: Responding to Nepal’s request to provide necessary assistance to contain the explosion in COVID-19 cases in recent days, the European Union has mobilised an initial Rs 282 million in humanitarian funding. 

According to the EU, the fund will support monitoring of all home isolated cases through tele-health / tele-medicine services and rapid referral to hospitals; national emergency medical teams deployment and international emergency medical teams mobilisation facilitation; procure COVID-19 equipment and supplies in Nepal.

Key equipment and supplies will include oxygen equipment including oxygen gas cylinders, oxygen concentrators, home care kits, diagnostics including antigen test kits; personal protection equipment.

Nepal has also activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Finland is the first member state to offer more than 2 million surgical facemasks, 350,000 FFP2 masks, 52,500 pairs of vinyl gloves and 30,000 isolation gowns.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: "The COVID-19 surge in Nepal is claiming more lives every minute as it spreads across the country. We stand in full solidarity with Nepal in its fight against the pandemic. We are quickly mobilising emergency support with initial €2 million funding. I am very thankful to Finland for their quick offers of assistance via our Civil Protection Mechanism. We stand ready to provide further assistance.” 

The European Union’s 24/7 Emergency Response Coordination Centre is in regular contact with the Nepalese authorities to closely monitor the situation and channel the EU assistance.