January 19, 2006
 Japan Hands Over Oral Polio Vaccines to HMG/N
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The Government of Japan, at the request of the Child Health Division, Department of Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Population, has provided one million, nine hundred and seventy-six thousand (1,976,000) doses of oral-polio vaccines (OPVs), worth about two hundred and thirty-three thousand US dollars (US$233,000), to His Majesty's Government of Nepal. The OPVs will be administering to children under five during the Sub-National Immunization Days (S-NIDs) on January 21st and 22nd, 2006. The main objective behind providing the OPVs is to contribute to making Nepal a polio-free zone and safeguarding the lives of Nepalese children from the crippling disease in the targeted high risk Terai districts.
His Excellency Mr. Tsutomu HIRAOKA, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Nepal, handed over the oral polio vaccines to Mr. Ram Chandra Man Singh, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Population of His Majesty's Government of Nepal, amidst a special function held today at the Department of Health Services.
The OPVs will be administered to more than 1.8 million children living in the communities of fifteen (15) districts of the Eastern, Central and Far-Western Development Regions of the country. The targeted districts are Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha, Udayapur (partial), Bara, Chitwan, Dhanusha, Parsa, Rauthat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Kailali and Kanchanpur.
Nepal joined the campaign for global polio eradication in 1996. Since 1997, Japan, as a regular partner in the polio eradication campaign, has been providing Nepal with one third of the total requirement of OPVs in coordination with various international agencies such as WHO, UNICEF USAID, DFID, NORAD, Rotary International and others for the polio eradication programs in Nepal. As of January 2006, Japan provided Nepal with about thirty (30) million doses of polio vaccines worth approximately 2.5 million US dollars.
At the Ceremony, H. E. Mr. Hiraoka highlighted that 2006 will mark the Golden Jubilee of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Nepal. Relations between the two countries have always been friendly and cooperative and are becoming closer still, year after year, as the Government and people of both Japan and Nepal are keen to further develop this relationship for mutual benefit as well as peace and prosperity in the region. In this connection, he mentioned that the Embassy will organize various cultural programs in Kathmandu throughout the year to celebrate 50 years of friendship and to look forward to another 50 years of good relations.
Speaking on the same occasion, H. E. Mr. Hiraoka expressed his firm belief that the remarkable shared sense of responsibility of the Nepalese people, the Government and different donors to this program will make Nepal and the world polio free in the near future. Furthermore, he extended thanks to all the national and international organizations, medical professionals, social workers etc. for their contribution and efforts in safeguarding the lives of the children of Nepal.
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