The Japan government of Japan has agreed to provide Grant Assistance of JPY 4 billion Japanese Yen (equivalent to approximately Rs 3.5 billion) to Nepal for "The Project on rehabilitation and recovery from Nepal Earthquake."

This agreement to this effect was signed on Wednesday (February 17, 2016) in response to the exchange of notes of grant assistance by Nepali government and Japanese government on Dec.21, 2015, according to a statement issued by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Nepal Office.

At a function held at the Ministry of Finance in Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, agreements of the projects were signed and exchanged between Joint Secretary at Ministry of Finance Baikuntha Aryal and Chief Representative of JICA Nepal, Tsutomu Shimizu, on behalf of JICA.

The grant assistance will be used for the reconstruction of Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital, Bir Hospital, rehabilitation of Water Transmission System in Chautara and bridge construction along Barhakilo-Barpak road, the statement read.

Health and population sector has been severely affected by the earthquakes of April and May.

“The infrastructures of these two hospitals were damaged due to which hospitals are unable to provide the health facility effectively. JICA Nepal believes that the reconstruction of Bir hospitals would support to provide quality health service to the general public and reconstruction of Paropakar maternity hospital would support in quality reproductive health service to women and provides essential care for women and newborn babies,” read the statement.

Bir Hospital is the oldest and one of the busiest hospitals in Nepal. It was established in July 1889 by Bir Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana. Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital, popularly known as PRASUTI GRIHA was established on August 1959 with the initiative taken by Paropakar (a non-governmental community based organisation), Late king Mahendra in memory of Late Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, who died due to pregnancy related causes.