The Project Monitoring Committee consisting of representatives of Government of India and Government of Nepal met in Kathmandu on January 10, 2007 to review the progress of construction of a 200-bed Nepal Bharat Maitri Emergency and Trauma Centre at Bir Hospital, Kathmandu being constructed with the assistance of Government of India under the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme.
Government of India is providing assistance of NRs.108 crores for this project, for which a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two Governments on July 30, 2003. The ground-breaking for the project was done by Ambassador of India on October 27, 2006. Once completed, it will be the second emergency and trauma centre of its kind amongst the SAARC countries, besides the one presently in All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. The centre will be equipped with all the modern medical equipment of international standards. Implementation of this project will go a long way in improving emergency services at Bir Hospital.
The project is being executed by Government of India through M/s Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation of India as consultants and M/s Unity Infra-projects Limited as contractors.
This was the third meeting of the Project Monitoring Committee for this project. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Kheya Bhattacharya, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Kathmandu and included representatives from Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi from the Indian side, and representatives from Ministry of Health and Population, Ministry of Finance, Bir Hospital and Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office from the Nepalese side. During the meeting, consultant and contractor for the project made a joint presentation on the overall progress of the project. The members of the Project Monitoring Committee expressed satisfaction over the current progress and discussed future milestones for construction and procurement work to ensure sustained progress and timely completion of the project by early 2008. Members from both sides underlined the importance of this project as part of the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme and committed to extend fullest cooperation to the consultant and the contractor to facilitate the execution of the project without any hindrance. The Project Monitoring Committee decided to meet again in April/May 2007 to take further stock of the progress.
The construction of Nepal Bharat Maitri Emergency and Trauma Centre at Bir Hospital is a major project under the India-Nepal Economic Cooperation Programme and an important endeavour for cooperation between the two countries in the health sector. Currently the bilateral cooperation programme between the two countries is witnessing the realisation of over 170 projects in education, health and infrastructure sector covering almost all the districts of Nepal with an outlay of NRs.2000 crores. The new hope for peace and development in Nepal ushered in by historic changes and the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement stands to add greater vigour and momentum to developmental cooperation between our two countries. As the people of Nepal move forward on way to peace and prosperity, the Government and the people of India remain committed to further increasing their efforts for the well-being of the people of Nepal.
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