KATHMANDU, June 2: The French government has extended support of medical equipment and supplies to Nepal to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ambassador of France to Nepal, Francois-Xavier Leger, handed over health equipment and supplies to Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi amidst a brief ceremony held at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Wednesday morning. A shipment containing 504,000 FFP2 masks; 20,225 antigenic test kits; 12,000 protection glasses; and 14 respirators including consumables arrived in Kathmandu earlier this morning.
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Addressing the function, Minister Tripathi thanked the government and people of France for their generous support of life-saving materials, which would be helpful in containing the surge of COVID-19 cases and treatment of the affected people. He stated that the timely support from France is reflective of the longstanding Nepal-France friendship.
The medical support received today is in response to the request of the Government of Nepal to the French Government, communicated at the bilateral level as well as through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, for supporting Nepal with vaccines, medicines, equipment and supplies in the face of the deadlier second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
Highlighting the importance France puts on its relationship with Nepal, French Ambassador Leger said, “France stands side by side with Nepal in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. A global solution and cooperation are required to combat the current crisis and France, along with other EU member states, is committed to helping Nepal and the Nepali population to fight the crisis”.
The materials were delivered by an Airbus A350 which was put in place by the Airbus Foundation as a courtesy.
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