Spain Sends Aid To Nepal In Fight Against Covid

SPAIN has sent aid to Nepal to help fight the massive surge in Covid cases.

Spain has sent aid to Nepal to help fight the massive surge in Covid cases, Nepal Live Today reports. Over five tons of medical supplies including oxygen concentrators, ventilators and antigen kits were sent via an aircraft today, May 20, by the Humanitarian Action Office of the Spanish Cooperation Agency and the Spanish Health Ministry landed in Kathmandu.

The shipment, which was handed over by the Director of AECID Magdy Martínez-Solimán to Minister for Health Hyridesh Tripathi, was sent on a chartered flight from Madrid. It comprised of 33 pallets, valued at around one million euros. This aid is part of the humanitarian response of the European Union’s Team Europe to jointly support the most vulnerable countries in the fight against Covid-19, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

“Last year’s tragic Covid-19 wave hit Spain particularly hard. The country went into a strict lockdown for months and only recently lifted the state of emergency. Spain gained extensive experience in handling and managing the pandemic”, Dawa Futi Sherpa, Nepal’s Ambassador to Spain said, “If there is a country that can understand the devastating health crisis currently unfolding in Nepal, it is Spain”.

Spain’s Foreign Affairs, MOFA, the Embassy of Spain in Delhi, and the Honorary consul in Kathmandu coordinated with The Embassy of Nepal in Madrid to send the medical aid. They also coordinated to repatriate Spanish nationals and residents that were stranded in Nepal and to send medical supplies by the Non-resident Nepali Association (NRNA), Spain.

“Spain responded quickly to our request for aid. I want to thank the Spanish people for their support and solidarity during this crisis”, Ambassador Sherpa said, “This is a very positive gesture from Spain and strengthens our bilateral partnership”.

The NRNA, Spain, also supplied 17,600 surgical masks, sanitisers, gloves, and face shields among other health items.

NRNA, Spain said in the statement: “The situation is getting worse in Nepal due to lack of adequate beds and oxygen at hospitals. We have started the fund collection with the intention of helping Nepal and Nepalis to overcome the suffering.”