Delivering Oxygen Concentrators to Support Nepal COVID-19 Response

Gradian Health Systems and the Nick Simons Foundation (NSF) have partnered to deliver 100 oxygen concentrators and other medical supplies to Nepal in an effort to support the nation’s COVID-19 response by increasing the ability of health providers to provider oxygen therapy to patients as supply continues to outpace demand.

Across the last month, health care providers at Bir and Patan hospitals—two of the largest healthcare facilities in Kathmandu, Nepal that are now also serving as key centers for COVID-19 care—received 100 10 liter per minute oxygen concentrators to provide oxygen therapy to patients. The concentrators are in use and helping existing COVID-19 patients breathe better and potentially enable the facilities to admit more patients for care. The addition of the concentrators to the hospitals existing oxygen sources may also help administrators manage resources more effectively to prevent sudden system-wide halts to oxygen flow.

In addition to the concentrators, Gradian and NSF sent a shipment last week of medical supplies to support with oxygen therapy needs. The shipment included items such as pulse oximeters for oxygen level monitoring and adult and pediatric masks and nasal cannulas for oxygen delivery as well as other accessories like humidifiers.

The donation builds upon Gradian’s decade-long presence in Nepal, which has included working with healthcare facilities like Bir Hospital to build anesthesia and critical care services through the Gradian UAM (Universal Anaesthsia Machine) and the Gradian CCV (Comprehensive Care Ventilator) as well as Gradian’s clinical and biomedical training service.

With a similar focus, the Nick Simons Foundation is a private family foundation that aims to improve health and medical care in Nepal, especially for rural and remote populations.