NEFPORT ISSUE 45 – JULY 2021
HEALTH HEALTH The Government of Nepal has initiated the process to procure vaccines and medical supplies in a Government-to-Government (G2G) deal with China, while also opening talks with concerned stakeholders from other countries through official and diplomatic channels. The procurement of COVID-19 vaccines from India, however, has been bought into limelight due to certain private sector businessmen engaging in unethical practices due to disagreement with the government in regard to procurement commission. The order for medical supplies from China by private businesses has also hit roadblocks due to price hikes and long delivery timelines by the Chinese manufacturers. Procurement of vaccines in a G2G deal from China: Government of
Nepal has initiated the process to import 20,000 oxygen cylinders and 100 ventilators from China through a G2G agreement. During a joint video conference with China’s state councilor and foreign minister on April 27, 2021, China agreed to provide Nepal with an additional grant of medical equipment and materials equivalent to NPR 92 million USD (0.764 million).75 Currently, Nepal requires 72,000 oxygen cylinders to be refilled a day, but the country’s 22 oxygen plants can only fill 18,000 cylinders a day.76 A Nepal Airlines plane flew to Beijing on May 10, 2021, to bring 2,000 oxygen cylinders and 100 ventilators as part of the first stage of the G2G agreement.77 Price hike and longer delivery time for medical supplies from China:
Nepali orders for COVID-19 supplies, such as oxygen concentrators and pulse oximeters, from China have hit a roadblock owing to increased prices and time taken for delivery. With
increasing global demand, the Chinese companies have increased the price of the medical goods and have extended their delivery timeliness as well. In normal circumstances, an oxygen concentrator of five liters capacity would have cost NPR 54,180 (USD 450) per piece. However, the price has now been hiked to NPR 69,832 (USD 580) per piece, excluding transportation charges by the Chinese counterparts. The price of the oximeter has also been increased from NPR 963.2 - 1,204 (USD 8 per piece to USD 10). Nepali suppliers allege that since the demand from India and other countries for medical supplies is high, the Chinese companies have prioritized the fulfillment of these larger demands first.78 The embassy of Israel in Nepal donates medical supplies to Kathmandu hospitals: The Embassy
of Israel in Nepal donated Arterial Blood Gases (SBG) machines and patient monitors to the National Trauma Center (NTC) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ambassador Hannan Goder visited
the hospital on April 13, 2021, to handover the medical equipment and also held discussions with the hospital team about possibilities of collaborations in the future. Earlier, the Embassy had also donated a ventilator, a patient monitoring machine, and an ECG machine to Patan Hospital and a Tumbler Dryer Machine to Dhulikhel Hospital.79 Nepal Health Conclave 2021 organized in Kathmandu: The Nepal
Health Conclave 2021, a public discourse on the status of Nepal’s health sector, was held in Kathmandu on April 6, 2021. The event sought to address the challenges faced by Nepal’s health sector in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis and analyze gaps in the national health plans/policies through meaningful and critical conversations with stakeholders as well as community members. The initiative was undertaken by the journalism team at Trikal Productions and health professionals within the United States (US) Embassy Youth Council; the theme was “Aarogyada: Living Healthier Together.”80
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