Barbara Foundation felicitates COVID-19 Frontline heroes

Barbara Foundation on January 29, 2021 felicitated 14 healthcare workers and journalists and 5 institutions for exemplary contributions in the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the testing times of COVID-19 when fear and anxiety were pervasive, the healthcare professionals, journalists and security personnel exhibited tremendous courage, love and compassion in the frontline. Barbara Foundation COVID-19 Distinguished Award, which was announced in September 2020, honored these frontline workers amid the award ceremony held at the auditorium hall of the Nepal Tourism Board. Senior artists Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya were the chief guests.

The awardees include 3 doctors, 4 nurses, 2 healthcare support staff, 1 healthcare volunteer group, and 4 journalists who rose above their daily professional duties to make courageous and inspirational contributions to fight the pandemic in the frontline in spite of meager safety resources. Additionally, 5 institutions including Patan Hospital of Lalitpur, Samudayik Prakritik Chikitsalaya of Nawalpur, Armed Police Force, Nepal, Nepal Police and Nepal Army were also honored for taking the exemplary lead at the institutional level in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

In his inaugural speech, Chair of the Barbara Foundation, Dr. Sanduk Ruit said that through this award, the Foundation reached out to extend its gratitude to the entire healthcare workers, journalists, security personnel and all those who contributed in the frontline. He said: “This award is to show respect and give strength to all the true heroes and the real champions of Nepal. We are able to honour only a few but these few individuals represent the entire frontliners.”

Likewise, concluding the program, Barbara Foundation’s Vice-Chair, Dr. Chandra Prasad Pokhrel, stated that this award was only a small initiative in an attempt to thank and honour the dedication and hard work of the frontline workers. Dr. Pokhrel also upraised about the Foundation and its works to the audience.

The handing over of the awards was followed by a conversation between the comedians-duo Shrestha and Acharya and the program host Yatri. The humor-laden talk focused on the many impacts of COVID-19 in the Nepali society, and also touched upon the need to promote COVID-19 vaccination.

The list of award recipients in different categories:

Healthcare support staff:

1. Ms. Sushila Bhandari, Support Staff, Bheri Hospital
2. Mr. Ramesh Kafle, Health Assistant, KAHS
3. RNA 16 Volunteer Group, Bhaktapur

Nurses:

1. Ms. Jyoti Hamal, Bir Hospital
2. Ms. Sapana Rawal, APF Hospital
3. Ms. Bhagwati Badal, Seti Provincial Hospital
4. Ms. Shrooti Shah, Narayani Hospital

Doctor:

1. Dr. Subhash Prasad Acharya, TUTH
2. Dr. Anup Bastola, Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital
3. Dr. Den Prasad Acharya, Koshi Hospital

Journalists:

1. Mr. Sagar Budhathoki, Onlinekhabar.com
2. Ms. Barsha Shah, Deshsanchar.com
3. Ms. Fatima Banu, Kantipur Daily
4. News Agency Nepal (Television news producer and distributor based in Babarmahal)

Institutions:

1. Patan Hospital, Lalitpur
2. Samudayik Prakritik Chikitsalaya, Nawalpur
3. Nepal Army
4. Nepal Police
5. Armed Police Force, Nepal