In a public function held on February 20, 2007 at Kathmandu, Shri Pranay Verma, Counsellor (Economic Cooperation), Embassy of India laid the foundation stone for the new classroom block and hostel block for Sushma Koirala Memorial Nursing Campus at Sankhu. The function was attended by representatives of DDC and local administration of Kathmandu, Parliamentarians, community leaders and a large number of people from the area.
This is the ninth infrastructural development project undertaken by the Government of India in Kathmandu as part of the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme, apart from gifting of books, equipment, ambulances and school buses to various institutions. Under the current project, Government of India is providing a cooperation grant of NRs.2,76,09,988/- to DDC Kathmandu for the creation of the new infrastructure in the nursing campus.
The nursing campus, run by the Sushma Koirala Memorial Trust, is affiliated to Council for Technical Education & Vocational Training (CTEVT) and recognised by Nepal Nursing Council. It has been conducting three-year proficiency level certificate course in nursing for women since year 2000 and produces 120 trained nurses every year. There is tremendous demand for nurses in Nepal. Almost all the nursing students are employed by hospitals in Nepal even during their period of study. The project, therefore, is of significant importance for the development of specialised nursing resources and health care in Kathmandu and adjoining areas.
This is one of the thirteen on-going small development projects (in addition to three large projects) in the health sector being carried out in different districts of Nepal under the rubric of India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme. The project will be implemented by DDC Kathmandu, while an Oversight Committee consisting of representatives from DDC, campus management and Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal will monitor the project to ensure quality construction and effective utilization of the cooperation grant.
During the foundation stone laying ceremony, speaking on behalf of Ambassador of India, Shri Verma stressed the importance of healthcare infrastructure for Nepal’s development. He expressed the hope that the new infrastructure of the nursing campus would make a significant contribution in that direction and would emerge as an important icon of India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme. He reiterated the commitment of Government of India, made during the visit of Prime Minister of Nepal to India in June 2006, to triple the development assistance to strengthen and diversify bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries, and noted that the people and government of India will walk together with the people of Nepal in their quest for peace and development.
The project is part of the on-going bilateral economic cooperation programme between India and Nepal, under which at present more than 175 projects are being realized in the sectors of education, health, community development and infrastructure covering almost all the districts of Nepal with an outlay of NRs. 2000 crores.
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