Dear Foreign Secretary, 

We call upon the UK government to urgently respond to the Covid-19 crisis in Nepal by airlifting critical medical supplies including oxygen plants and equipment. Acting now will make the difference of life or death for thousands of people. Nepal is one of Britain’s oldest friends in the world, a friendship represented by generations of Gurkha soldiers and mountaineers. We must come to Nepal’s aid now.

A deadly second wave of Covid-19 has spread across the border from India in recent weeks. The country now has one of the highest viral reproduction rates in the world, and one of the weakest health services. Nepal’s medical infrastructure has buckled. Patients are being turned away from hospitals. Many are dying for lack of oxygen right now.

Nepal’s Health Ministry predicts that by 15 July the number of active cases could reach 800,000, resulting in ten critically ill patients for every ICU bed. Only 7% of Nepal’s population has received a dose of vaccine. The potential loss of life and economic devastation over the coming months is staggering and preventable. 

Oxygen plants, cylinders, and concentrators, such as the UK recently supplied India, would be a vital lifeline. The UK and Nepal have a unique, centuries-old relationship. We must stand by one of our oldest friends. Time is of the essence. 

Social media:

Twitter @alliance4nepuk

Insta @alliance4nepuk 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/alliance4nepuk

Hashtag #oxygen4Nepal

Signatories:

Adjoa Andoh, Actor

Adrian Hill, Professorship of Vaccinology and Director of the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford

Alain Townsend, Professor of Molecular Immunology, University of Oxford

Alainée Kent, Film Producer

Alan Hinkes, OBE, Mountaineer

Alexander (Sandy) Douglas, Pharmaceutical Physician and Vaccine Researcher, Jenner Institute, University of Oxford.

Amrita Acharia, Actor

Andrew Hall, Former UK Ambassador to Nepal

Andrew Pollard, Professor, University of Oxford

Andy Sparks, Former UK Ambassador to Nepal and Chairman of the Britain Nepal Society

Anthony Costello, Professor of Global Health and Sustainable Development, University College London

Asma Khan, Chef

Barney Smith, Former UK Ambassador to Nepal

Ben Fogle, Writer/ Broadcaster/ Adventurer
Caradog Jones, Mountaineer

Sir Christian John Storey Bonington (CVO, CBE, DL), Mountaineer

David Gellner, Professor of Social Anthropology and Fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford

David Lascelles, 8th Earl of Harewood
Film and TV Producer

General The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB, Former Chief of Defence Staff

Lady Caroline Richards, Author

Diego Sánchez-Ancochea, Head of Department, Oxford Department of International Development

Dip Prasad Pun CGC, British Army Gurkha

Diwakar Acharya, Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics, and Fellow of All Souls College, University of Oxford

Dr Krishna Adhikari, Chair, British Nepal Academic Council

Ed Douglas, Writer

James Acheson,Production Designer and Art Director

Sir Jeremy Farrar, Director, Wellcome Trust

Jeremy Jack Thomas, CBE, Producer

Joanna Lumley, OBE, FRGS, Actor, Author, Activist

Kenton Cool, Mountaineer

Kumud Dhital, Cardiothoracic & Transplant Surgeon

Lisa Choegyal, Writer

Sir Michael Palin (KCMG CBE FRGS), Actor, Comedian, Writer and Television Presenter

Michael Hutt, Professor Emeritus of Nepali and Himalayan Studies, SOAS University of London

Mike Searle, Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford

Nicholas White, KCMG, Professor of Tropical Medicine and Chair of the COVID19 clinical research coalition steering committee

Nick Willcox, Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford

Nickolas Grace, Actor

Nirmal "Nims" Purja, MBE, Mountaineer

Paul Oakenfold, Record producer and DJ

Peter Horby, Professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Global Health, University of Oxford

Philip Holmes, Author/ co-founder, Peepal tree

Philippe Guérin, Director of the Infectious Diseases Data Observatory

Rebecca Stephens MBE, Mountaineer/Writer

Ram Bahadur Limbu, V.C., Captain, British Army Gurkha (Rtd)

Rory Bremner, Impressionist and Comedian

General Sir Sam Cowan, KCB, CBE, Former Colonel Commandant of the Brigade of Gurkhas and former Chairman of the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

Santosh Shah, Chef

Sarah Gilbert, Saïd Professorship of Vaccinology, Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford

Serena Guthrie, MBE, International Netball player, England

Simon Lowe, Mountaineer

Sophy Roberts, Author

Sue Carpenter, Filmmaker

Surya Subedi, QC, Professor of International Law and Former United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Cambodia

Tikendra Dewan, Major, British Army Gurkha (Rtd), and Chairperson of the British Gurkha Welfare Society

Zara Balfour, Filmmaker

 

Contact 

Email: alliance4nep.uk@gmail.com