China donating 20,000 oxygen cylinders to help Nepal fight against Covid-19
As a critical shortage of medical oxygen due to the lack of sufficient cylinders is feared in Nepal due to the surging number of Covid-19 cases across the country, China is donating 20,000 oxygen cylinders.
KATHMANDU, May 19: The national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) is to drop Indian nationals presently stuck in Nepal to Saudi Arabia.
The NAC has, on the recommendation of the Indian Embassy, scheduled seven flights towards the Saudi Arabia targeting those Indian citizens who arrived here en route to the largest country in the Middle East with the Indian Government decision to suspend the international flights there in a bid to stem the spread of second wave Covid-19. They are stranded in Nepal following the suspension of international flights from Nepal also since May 6.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has permitted the operation of 10 flights to take Indians to their destinations. The NAC and Himalaya Airlines are each sharing seven and three flights each other.
NAC Spokesperson Karishma Shrestha said seven flights have been arranged for those Indians desperate to go to Saudi Arabia and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is coordinating towards that end. Earlier, the NAC has also got directions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the same. Five flights are for Riyadh and two are for Dammam.
According to the Ministry (Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation), the NAC was assigned to make seven flights for Saudi Arabia due to its noticeable performance during the Covid-19 crisis.
The NAC is also engaged in operating cargo flights to transport most essentials supplies which also includes medical goods from several countries when the country is battling with the second wave of Covid-19.
It has already ensured the import of empty oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators, anti-Covid vaccines and other essential medical supplies from China and India. Besides, it recently on May 15 made a landing carrying 335 oxygen cylinders, oxygen concentrators and other essential supplies from Oman.
KATHMANDUThe China-aided 18,000 empty oxygen cylinders have arrived Tatopani checkpoint in Sindhupalchowk district today via roadway.
According to Ganesh Pandey, press coordinator to Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinator of the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre Ishwor Pokharel, those cylinders will be brought in Kathmandu once the Chinese government hands them over to Nepal.
As Nepal has been in the grip of second wave of Covid-19, there has been high demand of oxygen cylinders to treat the infected ones.
Earlier, 400 oxygen cylinders were flown to Nepal from China. Preparations are afoot to ferry 1,600 remaining cylinders, out of 20,000, provided by China in grant assistance, informed Pandey.
The Nepal Airlines Corporation’s wide-body aircraft, which had flown to China on Saturday, is bringing home 550 oxygen cylinders from China today itself.
KATHMANDU, May 15: The national flag-carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) is bringing oxygen cylinders from Beijing, the capital of China and Muscat, the capital of Oman.
The NAC A-330 wide body left for Muscat this morning to pick up 600 oxygen gas cylinders to be received from Oman in assistance. The Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) and the Nepali Embassy in Oman had facilitated the assistance. The NAC aircraft will be returning from Muscat this evening.
Similarly, the NAC wide body is scheduled to leave for Beijing at 11:00 pm today to bring medical assistance which also includes oxygen cylinders provided by the Government of China. Besides, preparation is on to bring eight oxygen concentrators from China. The government plans to send the NAC wide body to China on May 15, 16 and 17 to bring 550 oxygen cylinders per each flight amidst the raging Covid-19 crisis.
KATHMANDU, May 13: The Nepal Airlines Corporation’s aircraft will be flying home a total of 600 bottles of oxygen cylinders from Muscat, Oman coming Saturday.
The national flag carrier’s wide-body A 330 aircraft will bring the cylinders in association of the Nepali Embassy and the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) in Oman.
Corporation’s General Manager Dim Prakash Poudel shared that NA’s aircraft will bring in oxygen cylinders from Oman on Saturday and the same day the aircraft will fly to Beijing to bring home 400 set of oxygen containers and other medical appliances for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Poudel informed that the aircraft will also ferry eight oxygen generators from China.
NRNA’s president Kumar Panta posted in his social networking site that efforts were underway to send oxygen cylinders to Nepal from Oman.
Earlier on May 11, Nepal Airline’s aircraft has already brought 400 set of oxygen cylinders, 10 set of ventilators and other medical supplies from China.
The government of China had provided those medical appliances to Nepal at the request of the Ministry of Health and Population and in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation as the second wave of Covid-19 is gripping Nepal.
