Ambassador of Australia to Nepal, Ms. Felicity Volk, Gandaki Province Health Secretary Dr. Shreeram Tiwari and International Nepal Fellowship Nepal (INF Nepal) Chairperson Ram Chandra Timothy jointly inaugurated an Oxygen Concentration Plant at the Green Pasture Hospital, Pokhara on June 11, 2022.
The Australian Government, through INF Nepal, established the plant at the cost of NPR 14 million, as per the press note of the Australian Embassy.
Addressing the inauguration, Ambassador Volk said, “The handover of the oxygen plant coincides with the celebration of 70 years of INF operations in Nepal. INF have made a significant contribution in rural communities through the provision of health care services, livelihood interventions and promoting social inclusion.”
“With COVID-19, we have seen health systems under immense strain. The establishment of this plant under the Australian Government’s COVID-19 Development Response Plan will strengthen Green Pasture Hospital’s health services and serve as a reminder of the close friendship over six decades, between Nepal and Australia.”
In June 2021, the Australian Government provided AUD 7 million to NGOs including INF Nepal to boost Nepal’s ability to respond to COVID-19, including through the procurement of essential equipment and health supplies for hospitals and personal protective equipment for health workers, it said.
The newly established plant will ensure a reliable and direct supply of medical oxygen in all regular and crisis situations. The dual plant design provides five cubic meter per hour of oxygen, which is directly connected to a newly constructed pipeline system that delivers oxygen to every bed, ward and operating room in the hospital. In crisis situations, oxygen output can be doubled by running both plants simultaneously, reads the press note.
Established in 1957 in Pokhara, the Green Pastures Hospital has been rendering medical treatment and rehabilitation for people living with spinal cord injuries and other physical disabilities, as well as reconstructive surgery, palliative care and specialist ear care.
