US Ambassador to Nepal Alaina B Teplitz and Minister for Health and Population Ram Janam Chaudhary jointly unveiled plans to rebuild a new, earthquake-safe Bahrabise Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) on Monday. 

The $1.9 million (approx Rs200 million) joint collaboration is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and will be implemented by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), bringing together the Army Corps architectural and engineering know-how and USAID’s public health expertise, the US Embassy said in a statement. 

It includes demolishing the existing buildings, reconstruction of the PHCC and fully equipping it according to Ministry of Health standards.

“The US Government stood with Nepal in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake with humanitarian aid, and we continue to support ongoing recovery and reconstruction efforts. 

This new Bahrabise Primary Health Care Center shows the US government’s strong commitment to reconstruction and to ensure healthcare access to those affected by the disaster,” said Ambassador Teplitz during the ceremony.

The USAID and the Ministry of Health jointly identified the Bahrabise PHCC as a high-priority site for reconstruction based on the facility’s large catchment area. 

Once rebuilt, this 10-bed health center will provide a full range of health care services, such as maternal and child health, to an estimated 112,000 people, and serve about 4,000 patients per month. 

Additionally, the Government of Nepal donated the land and has committed to fully staffing the PHCC with trained health professionals.