World Vision supports the Government of Nepal to tackle second wave of COVID-19

With the spike in COVID-19 second wave, Health facilities across the country are overwhelmed as they face shortages of hospital beds and oxygen with continuous influx of severely affected patients. With over 528,000 cases of COVID-19 in Nepal[1], and almost 26 million cases of COVID-19 in neighbouring India[2], with which Nepal shares an open border in the east, west and south, the infection rate in Nepal has increased exponentially since mid of April 2021. Unlike the first wave, the second wave is of even higher concern as it is affecting people of all ages severely; with a higher rate of infections and death among people of all ages including children amidst the lockdowns. Many children have been orphaned  with higher death rates among parents and caregivers.

Considering the growing concern over children and general public as a whole, World Vision, who have been working closely with the Government of Nepal (GoN) since 2001 to address national priorities/concerns, supported the Ministry of Health and Population – MoHP overseeing health issues in the country with much-needed medical supplies on 21 May 2021. The supplies included oxygen cylinders (1,400 units), oxygen concentrators (20 units), PPE (1,225 sets), infrared thermometers (1,012 units), pulse oximeters (1,012 units) and hospital beds (25 units).

Handed over to the MoHP in the presence of representatives from the Ministry for Women, Children and Senior Citizens (MoWCSC) and the Social Welfare Council (SWC), the medical supplies will help strengthen the government health facilities and protect health workers as they respond to the major health crisis across 16 districts across the country (Kanchanpur, Kailali, Achham, Doti, Bajhang, Jumla, Lamjung, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Sindhuli, Udayapur, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Rautahat, Dhanusha and Banke).

World Vision stepped-in after the Government of Nepal appealed national/international development and humanitarian agencies for the support on first week of May. The distribution is a part of the 90-day multi-sectorial integrated response that focuses on providing life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable children and communities. The response activities are implemented in close coordination with the Federal, Provincial and Local governments and in partnership with twenty local implementing partners.

While World Vision is humbled to contribute to the government’s efforts as one of its active partners to contain COVID-19 in the country, the GoN appreciating the support during this trying time, committed to make the most of the supplies.

The 90-day (May - July 2021) response will focus on educating general public on the issues associated with the coronavirus and child protection, strengthening government health facilities and ensuring food security of the vulnerable families through cash programming.

The infographic provides an overview of World Vision’s Nepal COVER (COVID-19 Emergency Response) Project – Phase II.

World Vision supported over 105,000 vulnerable children and more than 176,000 adults from nearly 62,000 households, plus 1.5 million people indirectly through its strategic interventions on health, WASH, livelihood and nutrition, protection, and education during first wave of COVID-19 (April-July 2020).
 

For further information, please contact:
Ms. Pratistha Koirala 
Policy and Communications Director (Interim), World Vision International Nepal
Email: pratistha_koirala@wvi.org 
Skype: pratistha.koirala

[1] The Ministry of Health and Population; https://covid19.mohp.gov.np/#/   

[2] John Hopkins University; https://github.com/CSSEGISandData/COVID-19