“Nepal’s second COVID wave in mid-May had overwhelmed the Himalayan nation’s health system. Hospitals ran out of oxygen supplies,..”.(add Footnote 1). On 12th May 2021, it was reported that Nepal did not possess the ability to manufacture oxygen for itself, and could not get oxygen shipments for at least 14 days after India closed its borders. ““Compared to India, our situation is much worse right now,” said Roshan Pokhrel, chief specialist for Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population. “Our health system has gone down. We cannot take more cases.” (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/a-pandemic-surge-threatens-livelihoods-in-nepal)
With the rest of the world embattled against COVID, Nepal, the needful landlocked nation, was in desperate straits. An estimated 200 people were dying a day in mid May, 2021. (https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-covid-19-impact-worse-than-official-figures/)
By 14th May Mr Sean Hotung began to speak to and coordinate with Ex-Gurkhas and Colonel Collet (Ret.) of the Royal British Legion (HK Branch). On 24th May, 2021 Mr and Mrs Hotung returned to HK and immediately met with the General Consul of Nepal for a detailed briefing of the grim and deteriorating situation. Within 24 hours, Mrs Hotung (A.k.a. Yung Ching Ching), a famous celebrity, through crowdfunding at Fringebacker, called out to her fans for donations while Mr Hotung, as Patron of the HK Ex-Servicemen Association (“HKESA), mobilised the HKESA, to coordinate the collection and packaging of the donations. On 9th July 2021, as an Israeli Covid Relief plane landed in Kathmandu with 120 oxygen concentrators and 8 ventilators, (https://www.nepalisansar.com/coronavirus/israel-donates-medical-resources-to-nepal-to-fight-the-pandemic/), a second plane, paid for by Mr Hotung, also landed in Kathmandu with a cargo of 3.5 plus metric tons of medical aid. Prior to take off from HK, Mr and Mrs Hotung personally donated 50 oxygen concentrators to the cargo.
On 30th May, the Nepal Times reported that a new study reflected that Nepalese casualties figures were… “ a gross underestimation. The calculations show that new daily infections were probably closer to 120,000 on Saturday and there were more than 700 deaths from Covid-19 nationwide—more than 30 times higher than official figures.” (https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-covid-19-impact-worse-than-official-figures/)
However, prior to the above-mentioned air-lift of aid, an air embargo was in effect except for aid coming from other governments.While, USAID promised a shipment of 1000 oxygen cylinders for delivery on 23rd May 2021 (https://mofa.gov.np/press-release-on-hand-over-of-medical-support-received-from-the-usa/), Mr Hotung and Ex-Gurkha Tirlok Gurung partnered in a private enterprise and purchased 450 40L Oxygen Cylinders in Linyi, Shandong, China at approximately the same time.. The journey from Linyi to Kathmandu is 3,222Km and started by truck on 1st June, 2021. After numerous difficulties, from changing Chinese border policies, torrential rains that closed the border crossing, to multiple landslides that forced the cargo to be unloaded and carried past destroyed roads, to be reloaded on other trucks, this life saving shipment arrived in Kathmandu on 20th June 2021. With proper usage and safe storage, these jumbo oxygen cylinders will be available for the people of Nepal for at least another decade. While presently deployed to fight COVID, these oxygen cylinders should be available for any future crises.
Karnali Province (Province No. 6) – the highest mortality rate during COVID-19 2nd Wave (125 cylinders)
- Dailekh Hospital
- Dullu Hospital
- Dolpa Hospital
- Humla Hospital
- Mugu Hospital
- Jumla Hospital
- Surkhet Hospital
- Jajarkot Hospital
- Mahhakali Hospital
- Dadeldhura Hospital
- Seti Provincial Hospital
- Tikapur Hospital
Bagmati Province (Province No. 4) (90 cylinders)
Numerous Letters of Appreciation from hospitals and clinics in every province of Nepal has been received by Mr Hotung and Mr Gurung for this remarkable and successful endeavour. See Annex A.
The cash donations raised through the crowdfunding at FB was used to pay for the purchases of 224 10LPM Oxygen Concentrators. Mr and Mrs Hotung paid for the transport of this third and last shipment to Nepal in conjunction with all administrative fees associated with this relief effort that took place over the course of approximately 6 months.
A more complete reporting of this magnificent achievement can be canvassed at these following sites:
