Pokhara Receives Modern Ambulance and Health Supplies from Sister City Linzhi

Kaski. Modern health supplies including an ambulance gifted by sister city Linzhi in China's Jizang province have arrived in Pokhara today. The Linzhi city has provided an ambulance equipped with modern equipment, ventilators, oxygen cylinders, and oxygen incinerators as aid to Pokhara. Mayor Dhanraj Acharya stated that although Linzhi announced the aid to the new leadership of Pokhara Metropolitan City in 2079 BS, the materials were held up at the Rasuwa (Kerung) border due to customs procedures. Under the then-prevailing regulations, the customs exemption limit was only up to 1.6 million rupees, and since the value of the health supplies exceeded 35 million rupees, there was a problem in clearing the materials. Following this, the metropolis coordinated with various bodies and pursued customs exemption. Mayor Acharya said that the process of bringing the materials moved forward after the limit related to customs exemption for ambulances was removed through last year's budget. Meanwhile, the process had to be restarted after related documents were destroyed in a fire at the Metropolitan City office. After completing the necessary procedures again and re-requesting the materials, they have now arrived at the Pokhara Metropolitan City premises. "We have succeeded in bringing the health supplies received from sister city Linzhi to Pokhara after three and a half years," said Mayor Acharya. "This aid will help in the delivery of health services in Pokhara and has further strengthened the friendly relations between the two cities." The said materials will be utilized with the objective of providing accessible health services to the people of Pokhara. Earlier, a team led by Mr. Bata, the Mayor of Linzhi city, had arrived at Pokhara International Airport via the first international flight to participate in the International Dragon Boat Race competition held in Pokhara. Visits from Pokhara to its sister city Linzhi have also been happening from time to time. The metropolis has expressed gratitude to the President of the Nepal-China Friendship Association, Bishwashankar Palikhe, who assisted in clearing the customs and bringing the ambulance and other materials to Pokhara, as well as to the customs office and various bodies of the Nepal government.