Daijiworld Media Network- Kathmandu
Kathmandu, Apr 25: In a strong reaffirmation of its Neighbourhood First Policy, India has extended medical assistance worth USD 2 million to Nepal, aimed at supporting patients suffering from Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease. The move comes as a goodwill gesture in response to a formal request made by the Government of Nepal.
The announcement was made by Randhir Jaiswal, the official spokesperson of India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), who posted on social media platform X:
“Reaffirming India's commitment to the Neighbourhood First Policy, India sends assistance consisting of medicines and vaccines for patients with Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease worth $2 million, responding to a request from Nepal.”
The first tranche, consisting of 17,030 vials of vaccines, specifically meant for the immunisation of thalassemia patients, has already been handed over to Nepalese authorities.
India and Nepal share a time-tested and deep-rooted relationship that spans across various sectors, with health cooperation being one of the most notable pillars. Over the years, India has played a pivotal role in the development of Nepal’s healthcare infrastructure.
Noteworthy among India-supported projects is the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan, comprising a 350-bed hospital and a 50-seat medical college. India also funded the Nepal Bharat Maitri Emergency and Trauma Centre, inaugurated in 2008, and the OPD-cum-Ward block at Bir Hospital in Kathmandu, completed in 1985.
The Trauma Centre, designed along the lines of India’s AIIMS, was Nepal’s first of its kind and continues to provide critical services to thousands annually.
As part of ongoing health cooperation, India had also provided 200 kidney dialysis machines and 50 Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems in 2023. More recently, the Bhabhatron II Radiotherapy Machine, a state-of-the-art cancer treatment device, was handed over to the Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital in 2024.
India has remained a steadfast partner to Nepal during times of crisis as well. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nepal was one of the first recipients of India’s Made-in-India vaccines, receiving its first consignment on January 21, 2021. India had also dispatched over 23 tonnes of critical medicines in the early days of the pandemic.
The gesture of medical aid arrives shortly after a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli during the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok, where both leaders expressed satisfaction over the growing partnership between the two nations.
“India attaches immense priority to relations with Nepal,” PM Modi had posted, adding that the leaders had discussed cooperation in energy, connectivity, culture, and digital technology, along with BIMSTEC outcomes in disaster management and maritime transport.
With this latest initiative, India not only reinforces its role as a key developmental partner in the region but also upholds its commitment to humanitarian diplomacy and regional solidarity.