KATHMANDU, May 2: A total of 3000 PCR-Test kits, made in Germany, arrived Saturday in Nepal as cargo in the French repatriation flight. This is part of ongoing bilateral cooperation between Germany and Nepal to fight the COVID-19 Pandemic, according to the Embassy of Germany in Kathmandu.
In the current state of the Pandemic in Nepal, testing is crucial for slowing down the spread of the virus. “Reliable testing is also important for community peace. Knowing exactly who is infected and who is not, can ease tensions and apprehensions,” a statement quoted German Ambassador to Nepal Roland Schäfer.
Can the new PCR kits purchased by the Army still be used? Yes!
The Embassy in France in Kathmandu had made necessary arrangements to bring the cargo of PCR Test kits to Nepal as it chartered a flight to Nepal to evacuate its citizens stranded here as a result of nationwide lockdown enforced to contain the spread of COVID-19.
“I am very glad that the test kits, which are probably the most vital piece of equipment in this fight against the Covid-19, were able to come in a repatriation flight chartered by the French Government. France and other European countries stand firmly alongside Nepal in this fight against the pandemic”, the statement quoted French Ambassador to Nepal Francois-Xavier Léger as saying.
The 3000 PCR-test kits will be handed over to the Ministry of Health of Nepal. They are part of a total of 20,000 ordered from Germany and various equipment ordered from China and scheduled to arrive by road. This will also include equipment for treating infectious hospital waste.
As part of German Development Cooperation, the Nepali-German health project has received additional financing from the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation (BMZ) to support the Covid-19 response. Supporting partner countries' epidemic preparedness has been a core part of German-supported health programming for decades.