By Purushottam P. Khatri
Kathmandu, Apr. 18: Nepali Army Headquarters (NAHQ) has finally decided to procure the medical goods and medicines required for the control and treatment of coronavirus in Nepal from China and India.
The NA was handed the responsibility to buy the medical equipment and medicines through the government to government procurement modality in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Population.
"We had sent the documents of the final agreement to India and China on Thursday, and the NA again on Friday sent an acceptance letter as forwarded by them to us regarding the price code of each tool kit and medicine to be purchased," Brigadier General and spokesperson of the NA Bigyan Dev Pandey told The Rising Nepal. "The Ministry of Health and Population has also approved the price code as forwarded by the two countries," Pandey added.
"Defence military attaches of the three countries today coordinated regarding the confirmation of the acceptance letter sent from Nepal," he said.
However, the final confirmation regarding the inking of the agreement with them was yet to be made, he said.
“With the completion of all these processes, it is now confirmed that the medical supplies would be brought from China and India,” he said.
The medical operation under the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre on Wednesday had sent the final list of the medicines to be purchased from the two countries, according to Dr Bikash Devkota, joint secretary and spokesperson at the CCMC-Ops.
Officials at the CCMC-Ops on Wednesday had also held a discussion regarding the draft prepared by the CCMC before forwarding it to the two countries, according to Dr Devkota.
According to the final agreement paper, China will provide 67 types of medical goods to Nepal while India 53 types of essential drugs.
Nepal is purchasing medical goods from one of the government owned companies of China, according Dr Devkota. These goods will be delivered to Nepal from Guangzhou.
However, the essential medicines to be purchased from India will be delivered from the New Delhi-based Nepali Embassy after the medicines are received by the Nepali Embassy.
"Now, only one thing has been left and that is the confirmation from these two countries that they are supplying the specified goods to us in time," according to Pandey.
The NA is purchasing the medical supplies under the government to government procurement modality.
Meanwhile, the NA has also begun processes for the endorsement of the transaction modes and transportation of the consignments to Nepal from abroad.
Documents regarding the transaction modes will be prepared by the Defene Ministry and sent to the Finance Ministry for releasing the budget while for transportation, the Cabinet meeting should endorse it, said Pandey.
Earlier, the NA through the Foreign Affairs Ministry had forwarded letters to five countries (China, India, Singapore, South Korea and Israel) for purchasing the goods. Of them, China and India showed their willingness to supply the goods and medicines to Nepal.