China hands over medical equipment to Nepal

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday handed over medical equipment worth 200 million Nepalese rupees (about 19,700 US dollars) to Nepalese Minister for General Administration Lal Babu Pandit in Kathmandu.

The handover of the medical equipment to Nepal's Civil Service Hospital marked "part of China's strong desire to provide concrete assistance to Nepal," said Wang, who arrived here for a three-day official goodwill visit.

The equipment includes advanced machines for MRI, digital radiography, mammography and fluoroscopy for the Kathmandu-based hospital which began out-patient services in March 2009.

"The resources have made our hospital fully equipped," said Bimal Kumar Thapa, executive director of the hospital.

"Now, we do not have to refer patients to other hospitals as the equipment will facilitate prompt diagnosis within the hospital. With the gift from the Chinese people, the hospital is now able to diagnose Nepali patients with advanced medical equipment," he told Xinhua.

The 132-bedded hospital, built with Chinese grant and handed over to the government of Nepal by China in November 2008, was built at a time when the Nepal Army and Nepal Police employees had hospitals dedicated to them while Nepali civil servants had none. It has been operated as a non-profit hospital.

Wang's current to Nepal is the first highest level official visit from China after the election of Nepal's Constituent Assembly in November 2013.

Nepal and China will mark the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2015.