KATHMANDU:  The Charge d’Affaires a.i. of Japan to Nepal,  Mr. YOSHIOKA Yuzo, signed a grant contract with Mr. Madan Raj Chataut, President of the Nepal Red Cross Society, Dadeldhura District Chapter, for installing equipment at Dadeldhura Blood Bank.

The project is funded under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) of the Japanese Government and involves a grant of USD 56,364 (approximately NPR 6.58 million).

The project will support installation of medical equipment including refrigerators, a component preparation set, an automated blood grouping machine, microscope, micropipette, electric balance, incubator, needle destroyers, deep freezer and uninterrupted power supply (UPS).

At the online grant signing ceremony, Mr. YOSHIOKA said he hoped the assistance would contribute towards enhancing better hospital services for people needing safe blood for treatment.

The Nepal Red Cross Society Dadeldhura District Chapter was established in 1967 and has been providing blood transfusion services at the recommendation of authorized doctors of the Dadeldhura Hospital and other polyclinics. It also has an ambulance service and has been engaged in promoting hygiene and sanitation, and humanitarian assistance.

The Embassy of Japan believes the project will contribute towards improving medical services for patients in the district. It also believes that the support will contribute towards further enhancing the friendship between the peoples of Japan and Nepal.