In order to support the monitoring of all home isolation cases and to procure key COVID-19 equipment and supplies in Nepal, European Union (EU) member states have mobilized emergency support with an initial €2 million that is facilitated through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (CPM).
“The initial €2 million will support the monitoring of all home isolated cases through tele-health/tele-medicine services and rapid referral to hospitals, as well as national emergency medical teams deployment and the mobilization of international emergency medical teams. The funding will also procure key COVID-19 equipment and supplies in Nepal, including oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators, personal protection equipment, home care kits, and diagnostics equipment,” the press statement issued on May 20 by the Delegation of the European Union to Nepal reads.
Stressing that the surge in COVID-19 cases in Nepal is claiming more lives every minute as it spreads across the country, Janez Lenarčič, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management said:
“We stand in full solidarity with Nepal in its fight against the pandemic. I am very thankful to Finland, Spain, France, Germany, and Belgium for their quick and generous offers of assistance via our CPM, showing that the EU is a trusted partner and friend in times of need.”
The EU CPM strengthens cooperation between EU member states and six participating states in the field of civil protection with a view to improving prevention, preparedness, and response to disasters. When the scale of an emergency overwhelms the response capabilities of a country, it can request assistance via this mechanism. In 2020, the mechanism was activated more than 90 times i.e., to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters around the world.
The EU member states currently offering support to Nepal include Spain, France, Germany, Finland, and Belgium. To this end, Spain has provided medical equipment including 50 oxygen cylinders, 10 oxygen concentrators, 15 ventilators, 124,800 rapid antigen tests, and 144,000 FFP2 masks.
Support from other member states includes 14 ventilators, spare parts for oxygen plants, 20,000 antigen tests and 500,000 KN95 masks from France, 62 ventilators, 27,500 FFP2 masks, 30,000 surgical masks, 200 body bags, 5 isolation centre tents, and 400 gum boots from Germany, 1 million surgical masks and 2,000 nasal oxygen cannulas from Belgium. Similarly, Finland is providing 2.2 million surgical face masks, 350,000 FFP2 masks, 52,500 pairs of vinyl gloves, and 30,000 isolation gowns.
- Team Europe is also working to ensure global, equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines and supporting the rollout of vaccination campaigns while exploring the possibilities of boosting local manufacturing capacity
- The EU played a leading role in setting up the COVAX Facility, the global initiative that allows for high-income countries to fund vaccines for low and middle-income countries
- The EU is one of its leading donors contributing over €2.47 billion. So far, over 40.5 million doses of vaccine have been delivered to more than 100 countries worldwide
- The EU has been providing humanitarian support to people affected by conflict and major natural hazards in Nepal since 2001, including the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015
- Over 50 disaster preparedness projects have reached more than a million people across the country
It is of note that as of 1 January 2021, Team Europe had supported partner countries across the world with funding of more than €26 billion, representing 65% of the overall response package that now stands at over €40 billion exceeding the original €20 billion pledged.
