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Nepal Seattle Society, along with other local Nepali organizations, has submitted a letter of plea to WA senators to facilitate COVID-19 vaccine, medical equipment & supplies relief aid for Nepal. We, the residents of WA state, are fortunate enough to have medical resources and vaccines available to us. However, as we have come to know via media and first hand experience, the situation in Nepal is dire because of rampant rise in COVID-19 cases.

Time is of essence, money alone can’t solve the problem, and we need to mobilize local professionals and local leaders with basic equipment like oximeters, thermometer and oxygen concentrators. Local professionals like Biomedical Engineers can fix the non- functional oxygen plants and ventilators in the health care facilities. But international development partners including UN agencies who are working are not able to mobilize these local resources and are not able to procure those minor equipment and supplies on time simply because of their complex procurement policies.”

Voice of a local development professional from Nepal.

Per the World Health Organization, today, on May 11, the COVID-19 positivity rate in Nepal is 44% with reported new 9,483 cases and 250 deaths. Some heart-wrenching statistics:

  • Nepal has the fastest infection rate in South Asia, faster than even India; the daily average rate of infection in the last 7 days is a staggering 30 per 100,000 people (compared to 28 in India) according to John Hopkins University
  • More than 404,000 people in Nepal have tested positive, overwhelming the hospitals and health service system that are turning away critical patients
  • Severe shortage of oxygen supply, resulting in increasing daily deaths
  • 600 ventilators for the entire country, and the UW’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predicts that Nepal will need over 10,000 ventilators by May 24
  • Less than 2,000 ICU beds for the entire country with a scarcity of beds for patients
  • Only about 1% of the country has received vaccines against COVID-19 thus far

Hence, we collectively request our representatives to do their best to provide urgent aid to Nepal. The letter sent to our representatives can be found below:

Nepal-Seattle-Society-Letter-to-Sen.Murray_05.11.2021

The letters were sent to a total of 12 U.S. Congressmen, Congresswomen and Senators from Washington State

U.S. SENATELEGISLATIVE
DISTRICT
CITIES, TOWNS WHERE NEPALI CONSTITUENTS LIVE

The Honorable Maria Cantwell
U.S. Senate
915 Second Avenue Suite 3206
Seattle, WA 98174
Maria CantwellEntire WAEntire WA

The Honorable Patty Murray
U.S. Senate
2988 Jackson Federal Building
915 2nd Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98174
Patty MurrayEntire WAEntire WA
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESLEGISLATIVE
DISTRICT
CITIES, TOWNS WHERE NEPALI CONSTITUENTS LIVE
The Honorable Suzan K. DelBene
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 1
450 Central Way Suite 3100
Kirkland, WA 98033
Suzan K. DelBene1st DistrictKirkland, Bothell, Redmond
The Honorable Rick Larsen
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 2
Wall Street Building
2930 Wetmore Avenue, Suite 9F
Everett, WA 98201

Rick Larsen2nd DistrictLynnwood, Edmonds, Marysville, Everett
The Honorable Jaime Herrera Beutler
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 3
750 Anderson Street Suite B
Vancouver, WA 998861
Jaime Herrera Beutler3rd DistrictVancouver
The Honorable Dan Newhouse
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 4
402 E. Yakima Ave Suite 445
Yakima, WA 98901
Dan Newhouse4th DistrictYakima, Moses Lake
The Honorable Cathy McMorris Rodgers
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 5
10 North Post Street Suite 625
Spokane, WA 99201
Cathy McMorris Rodgers5th DistrictSpokane
The Honorable Derek Kilmer
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 6
345 6th St Suite 500
Bremerton, WA 98337
Derek Kilmer6th DistrictBremerton
The Honorable Pramila Jayapal
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 7
1904 3rd Ave Suite 510
Seattle, WA 98101

Pramila Jayapal7th DistrictSeattle, Burien, Tukwila, Shoreline
The Honorable Kim Schrier
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 8
1445 NW Mall St. Suite 4
Issaquah, WA 98027
Kim Schrier8th DistrictIssaquah, Auburn, Ellensburg, Leavenworth, Bonney Lake
The Honorable Adam Smith
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 9
101 Evergreen Building
15 South Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057

Adam Smith9th DistrictKent, Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, SeaTac, Federal Way, Tacoma
The Honorable Marilyn Strickland
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington State District 10
Lacey City Hall – 3rd Floor
420 College St. SE Suite 3000
Lacey, WA 98503
Marilyn Strickland10th DistrictPuyallup, Tacoma, Olympia, Lakewood, Lacey