Kathmandu, 17 November: The Charge d'Affaires a.i. of Japan to Nepal, Yoshioka Yuzo, signed a grant contract with Ms. Ranju Napit, chairperson of the Laborer Women and Child Welfare Council (LWCWC) for providing medical equipment to the Valley Health and Research Center that operates in Bhaktapur District. The project is funded under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) of the Japanese Government and involves a grant of USD 74,860. This project will support the installation of medical equipment for breast cancer testing, thyroid testing, and diabetes testing at the Valley Health Center that has been providing medical services, mainly to women and children, free of charge since its establishment in 2000. The health center offers free diagnosis, free birth assistance and basic medicines in rural areas, and focuses on maternal and child health. The doctors and nurses of the center regularly visit the surrounding communities to provide counselling and to raise awareness on basic health. The medical equipment provided under the grant scheme can assist the center to offer a wider range of services, including regular check-ups for early detection of ailments.