Red Cross distributes health care supplies

The Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) has resumed distribution of necessary health care materials for the safety of health workers and volunteers who will be at the forefront of the COVID-19 epidemic. 

In partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation, the Society has distributed masks, gloves and sanitizers to Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, Armed Police Hospital, Balambu and Nepal Medical Association.

The hand over items included 12,500 surgical masks, 5,000 gloves and 960 bottles of sanitizers. In the first wave of Corona, seven ventilators were distributed to the Ministry of Health and Population in collaboration with the two organizations, said Pitamber Aryal, general secretary of the society.

"I have made it a priority to bring the maximum number of vaccines from the vaccine producing countries to the vulnerable communities. To this end, the United States, China and the United Kingdom have started providing free vaccines to the Nepal Red Cross. One hundred thousand vaccines are coming to Nepal Red Cross through Chinese Red Cross. ”

The Society has been working in the community since the early stages of the epidemic, giving high priority to its prevention. It has been providing masks, sanitizers, PPEs, mortar bags, training of front-line health workers and hospital supplies for Covid treatment. Public awareness, quarantine and holding centers, psychosocial counseling, financial assistance to orphans and senior citizens.

Dr. Manita Rajkarnikar, Director of Health Services Department of the Society and K Durai Murungan, Country Supply Chain Director of Coca-Cola jointly handed over the materials to Prada Ramesh Maharjan of Teaching Hospital, Dr. Meena Kunwar, Deputy Director of Armed Police Hospital and Dr. Lochan Karki, President of the Association. 

Dr. Kunwar, Deputy Director of the Armed Police Hospital, said that the health workers who are working tirelessly to protect the common people from the epidemic will consume a lot of daily necessities.

Director Dr. Rajkarnikar said, "This partnership between the Nepal Red Cross and The Coca-Cola Foundation is an attempt to control the coronavirus, protect frontline health workers and volunteers, and embody the 'Stop the Spread' campaign."

Volunteers of the society are mobilized in the vaccination center run by the government. Krishna Nepal, communication officer of the society, said that a partnership has been formed between the society and Coca-Cola for the management of transportation for easy access of vaccines to the extremely disabled people of different age groups.

In the partnership, it is mentioned that the program will be conducted in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Dhading and Kaski, Tanahu, Gorkha, Lamjung and Nawalparasi districts of Gandaki. It is stated that 31,000 will benefit from those districts under the same campaign. 

To prevent and control COVID infections, the Society has been assisting governments and localities in various areas, including health, sanitation, risk communication, community involvement, conservation and quarantine assistance, and vaccine management.