The Spinal Injury Association Nepal began construction of its rehabilitation centre amidst a ceremony today at Sanga in Banepa Valley.

A press release issued today stated that support for purchasing the land for the Spinal Injury Centre was provided by the Mountain to Mountain organisation based in Switzerland while assistance for the building facilities has been provided by the Hong Kong-based Kadoorie Charitable Foundation.

Esha Thapa, director of Spinal Injury Centre, said in the statement that the construction is expected to be completed within ten months.

“There is alarming increasing of spinal injury in our country, and with the new purpose-built centre we hope to be able to provide better quality services to larger numbers of patients,” Thapa said.

The Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre (SIRC) run by the Association is presently based in rented premises at Jorpati. According to the release, the rehabilitation centre will have seventy-two beds as well as physiotherapy, occupation therapy, hydro-therapy, outpatient services, half-way homes and other facilities.