'Always With Us in Good and Bad Times': Nepal Health Minister Says India is Helping With DNA Testing, Dead Body Management

Rasuwa: Nepal Health Minister Nisha Mehta on Wednesday (local time) said India has been providing assistance to Nepal in managing the bodies of those killed in the floods, including through DNA testing and support for setting up a laboratory for DNA management.

She said Nepal and India share a close relationship and that India has stood by Nepal during both difficult and favourable times.

Speaking to ANI, Mehta said, "The relationship of our country and India is always like 'Roti-Beti'. So they are always with us in all our... in our good situations also, and at the same time in our bad situations also. They are always with us like a brotherhood, or you can say a sisterhood or a family relationship. So we are in pain; obviously, that pain will go to them also. Since they are with... they have made us feel that they are always with us. So not only in good situations, they are always with us in bad situations."

She said the main issue was the management of dead bodies and that India had sent an expert team for DNA testing.

India is also helping Nepal in setting up a laboratory for DNA management, she added.

"So their helping hand means... the main issue was regarding the dead body management. So they are here to manage that one also. They have sent one expert team for the DNA testing.

At the same time, they are also helping us in the setting up of a lab for DNA management. So they are helping us. We are really positive about them," she said.

Mehta also said rescued people were being kept at holding centres, where their health needs were being taken care of. She added that neighbouring countries were assisting Nepal in rescue operations and providing different forms of aid.

"We have some holding centres where the rescued people have been kept. And at the same time, we are taking good care of the health issues. At the same time, our neighbouring countries are also helping from different countries. They have also come here to rescue. At the same time, they are helping in rescue operations also, and they are providing different sorts of aid also. At the same time, some of institutions like WHO and UNICEF are also on the ground. They are also working together. So we are all here; we are trying our best," Mehta further said.

The death toll in the Nepal floods has risen to 1,127, according to Nepal Police on Wednesday.

Nepal Police said 45 bodies have been recovered from Rasuwa, 155 from Nuwakot, 59 from Dhading, 348 from Chitwan, 66 from Gorkha, 38 from Tanahun, 217 from Nawalparasi East, 190 from Nawalparasi West and nine in India.

Of the recovered bodies, only 95 have so far been handed over to families after identification, according to Nepal Police. 

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