Note: The official letter  along with the signatures was sent to our Federal Partners: the White House, the US Committee on Foreign Relations,  and the US State Department. We received the acknowledgment confirmation. In this light, Senator Chris Van Hollen will be speaking with Nepali Community on May 17,  2021, at 5 pm.

An official letter sent to the White House.

We would like to request our federal partners to send vaccinations, ventilators, and other medical supplies urgently to Nepal to mitigate the national health crisis. The New York time recently reported that Nepal's coronavirus outbreak is growing faster than almost anywhere else globally and has been spreading to the remote Himalayas, with an increasing number of climbers testing positive after being evacuated from the base camps of Mount Everest and surrounding peaks. 

According to a New York Times database in early March, Nepal recorded fewer than 100 cases per day. Now, the daily average exceeds 4,000 reported cases. Nepal's vaccination drive has almost stopped, and the number of new infections is rising so fast that stressed-out clinics are not able to record them. "Since coronavirus cases have spiked beyond the capacity of the health system and hospitals have run out of beds, the situation is unmanageable," the Nepalese Health Ministry warned recently. It is believed that the outbreak is being fueled by Nepal's and India's open border. 

Currently, Nepal lacks adequate quarantine and isolation facilities in light of India's outbreak. India curtailed vaccine exports even though Nepal had signed an agreement to purchase two million from an Indian manufacturer, the Serum Institute of India. However, India could not honor its commitment when its outbreak worsened. Nepal's Coronavirus case is surging at a record number, and the death rate is skyrocketing.

The United States enjoys a strong and positive relationship with Nepal. Years of diplomatic, development, and military engagement have advanced U.S. interests in transitioning Nepal into a more peaceful, stable democracy with significant economic potential. The report shows the number of Nepali students studying in the United States remained strong, and the U.S. is still a preferred choice for Nepali students who plan to study abroad. Nepal ranks 12th in both undergraduate and graduate students in the U.S. 

In light of the healthcare system facing an insurmountable level of stress and on the precipice of collapse, we hereby request our U.S. federal partners to send vaccinations, ventilators, and other healthcare supplies to Nepal. With the recent announcement from the Biden administration that IP patent protections would be waived for vaccinations, along with news that President Biden has been in communication with Prime Minister Modi of India, I believe it is of the utmost importance that our federal leaders reach out to Prime Minister  Sharma Oli of Nepal and extend the same offer of help. If not, thousands more will needlessly die. This is a humanitarian imperative, and the world is looking to the United States now more than ever. We must answer the call. 

Key Commodities urgently required for COVID-19 response in Nepal

Ventilators(adult), ventilator(pediatric), CPP machine(adult/ pediatric), BiPAP machine, Portable ultrasound machine, Portable X-ray machine, Oxygen cylinder, Oxygen concentrator, High flow nasal cannula, Patient monitor multi-parametric( intermediate/advanced), ICU bed, PICU bed 

Sincerely,

Delegate Hary Bhandari, Maryland General Assembly

Ram Shrestha  Representative Town of Brandford District 4 Connecticut

Ron Sitoula Vice Mayor, Town of Indian Head Maryland 

Pradip Dhakal Councilman Herndon Town,  Virginia 

&  the Signers of this petition