COVID-19 SUPPORT TO NEPAL FUND

A hopeless situation’: oxygen shortage fuels Nepal’s COVID -19 OUTBREAK!

Nepal’s Covid-19 tally moved to 431,191 as 8,842 fresh cases were reported in the past 24 hours on Thursday. As many as 214 more Covid deaths were logged in a single day after which Nepal’s Covid-19 death toll stands at 4,466.  As such, total infections from both RT-PCR and antigen tests added up to 8,960. The capital city recorded 2,733 infections, Lalitpur 481 cases, and Bhaktapur 348 cases today, taking the valley’s total 24-hour figure to 3,562.

Nepal is reporting one of the fastest COVID-19 viral reproduction rates in the world, with a positivity ratio of 45%. Poor healthcare infrastructure, remote geography, and systematic challenges of coordinating information and resources have further compounded this challenge. Nepal’s epidemic is accelerating at a faster rate than that of India. Experts estimate that at the current rate, Nepal’s care burden will surpass its capacity within weeks resulting in a massive loss of human lives. The predicted physical and economic devastation, including substantial loss of life in the coming weeks and months, will be among the most severe of our lifetime. Despite this, Nepal has received no global attention. We are all shocked by the crisis we see in India, but Nepal, as India’s neighbor, is equally affected by the pandemic raging through its population.

On behalf of our nations, our families, and our loved ones, the Non-Resident Nepali Association- NRNA Canada is humbly requesting everyone to save human lives by donating. NRNA NCC Canada has been working hard to find out the oxygen and figure it out to send the cylinder. We are sending all the surplus money from the COVID-19 emergency fund lead by Kunjar Sharma and Naba Raj Gurung. We have about $17000 in the COVID Emergency account.  It is time to support Nepal and save lives. kindly contribute your small amount of money and share it with your friends and relatives.  Our primary goal is to buy/ send oxygen and oxygen cylinders from the Middle East or China.

Committee members:

Coordinator: Dr. Kunjar Sharma, Honorary Consulate General of Nepal to Canada

Joint Coordinator: Nabaraj Gurung, Former Advisor, NRNA ICC

Deputy Coordinator: Ashish Bhattarai, President of Approval Genie

Deputy Coordinator: Nima (Sherpa) McElhinney, Women of the year NRNA Canada 2020

An introductory meeting and discussion have been held with the newly elected officials of the Non-Resident Nepali Association of Canada organized by the Nepali Embassy in Ottawa. In the program organized at the Nepalese Embassy on Saturday 23rd October, discussions were held on the programs to be organized by the Embassy as per the priorities of the Government of Nepal, the services provided by the Embassy to the Nepalese living in Canada and the programs to be conducted by the Non-Resident Nepali Association Canada.
At the beginning of the program, His Excellency Mr. Bhrigu Dhungana, Ambassador of Nepal to Canada welcomed and congratulated the newly elected working committee of the Non-Resident Nepali Association of Canada. He said that he has been working for the promotion of culture and the service provided to Nepalis living in Canada by giving priority to it. He also urged the non-resident Nepalis living in Canada to mobilize their knowledge, skills, capital, and technology in Nepal’s development efforts and said that the Embassy would facilitate the task as much as possible.
During the discussion, the following issues were presented to the Embassy on behalf of the Non-Resident Nepali Association of Canada.

1) In view of the need for a Canadian Visa Office in Nepal, initiatives should be taken by all parties to do so.

2) The geographically very large country of Canada, such as Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Nova Scotia, PEI, etc., must be physically present for the authorization, due to difficulties such as long journeys and vacations at work. It would be appropriate to certify the Consul General and make arrangements to provide services efficiently and affordably,

3) In order to increase trade between Canada and Nepal, the process including ports should be made hassle-free, and the Government of Nepal should ensure policy stability. (From discussions with businessmen including Dr. Purna Kandel)

4) The Embassy’s support may be required for a friendly match between the national cricket teams of Nepal and Canada in 2022 at the initiative of the Naples Canadian Cricket Club.

5) Request from the Embassy for the necessary facilitation if a local organization or individual takes the initiative to establish sisterhood between the cities of Canada and Nepal.

6) To consult with experts to collect data on Nepalis living in Canada and, if possible, to start data collection with the involvement of Non-Resident Nepali Associations and local organizations and request the Embassy to assist in this task.

7) Request for more assistance from the Embassy in the efforts of Nepali businessmen to import from Nepal to Canada and to promote Nepali business and to increase the tourist arrivals in Nepal by spreading culture.

8) It would be appropriate to initiate a double tax exemption agreement between Nepal and Canada without having to pay double tax. (Presented by Bishal Ghimire, a member of NRNA Canada)

After discussing these issues, Ambassador Bhrigu Dhungana said that the Embassy would make every effort to certify such documents in a way that would be as convenient and convenient as possible under the existing legal provisions regarding the authorization of services provided by the Embassy. He also informed that the Non-Resident Nepali Association Canada would inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of its suggestion to adopt other alternatives in this regard. He said that ensuring policy and procedural simplicity and stability is the top priority of the government for the growth of Nepal’s foreign trade. He also said that the Embassy would prioritize facilitating the business community in expanding sisterhood relations between different cities and promoting trade, tourism, and tourism in certain areas. He said that Nepal has already signed agreements with 11 countries on a double tax exemption system and the government is aware of such agreements with Canada and other countries. Similarly, he took a positive view of other suggestions received from the Non-Resident Nepali Association of Canada.

Ambassador Bhrigu Dhungana and Third Secretary Sharad Poudel were present on the occasion on behalf of the Embassy while President Deepak Gautam, Former Vice President Ramesh Bania, General Secretary Anup Subedi, Treasurer Yam Khatri, Member Bishal Ghimire, and young businessman Rajan KC were present on behalf of the Non-Resident Nepali Association Canada. Suresh Gautam, President of Naples World Donors Association Canada also participated in the program. On the occasion, Chairman Gautam informed about the World Donors Association and its activities.

NRNA NCC Canada would like to request all the life and general members to register to participate in the upcoming 14th AGM, which will be held virtually on August 14, 2021. This registration is only for the closed session so non-members will be restricted to take part in the closed session. Please be advised that you need to write your full name when you are joining the zoom session to avoid any possible disruption. However, the opening session will be live on NRNA Canada Youtube and Front Line Facebook page so everyone can watch live.