Kathmandu, Jan 31: Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Shashi Shrestha has provided hospital equipment and health supplies to Bir Hospital and the Nepal Police Hospital for prevention and control of COVID-19.    

On behalf of the Nirmal Lama Memorial Foundation, she handed over 30 ICU beds to Bir Hospital and 30 thousand surgical masks to Nepal Police Hospital. The ICU beds and surgical masks were made available by Dr Biplav Mani Pokharel.    

Also, the Chair of the Foundation, Pokharel on the occasion said the general public should have access to free health and education services which have been enshrined in the Constitution as the fundamental rights of the citizen.    

Bir Hospital's chief administrative officer Dr Bhupendra Kumar Basnet said they have been getting various medical supplies like oxygen, ventilators and ICU beds from several organizations which have been of great help for the Hospital in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.    

Chief of Nepal Police Hospital, Additional Inspector General Dr Asha Singh expressed that this kind of support would contribute to the hospital's goal of providing quality health services to the general public.    

The Foundation has provided such assistance to many hospitals including Bharatpur Hospital Chitwan, Yogi Naraharinath Naturopathy Hospital, Dhulikhel Hospital, Community Hospital Okhaldhunga, the District Hospital Parbat and the District Hospital Baglung before this. It has provided 150 ICU beds received from Chinese organisations and supporters at the initiatives of Dr Pokharel to various government and community hospitals.