KATHMANDU– Nepal will have enough vaccines to immunize all citizens against COVID-19 by mid April. The health minister stated Wednesday that the government is focusing its efforts on remote areas in the Himalayas.
Birod Khatiwada, Health Minister, said that the government will employ workers and establish vaccination centers in order to reach the target.
Khatiwada was appointed last month. He stated that “We are going meet or exceed our target because we are already receiving enough vaccines.” “We will hire more health workers to reach remote areas of the country, and we will set up new vaccine centres to reach the entire population.”
The immunization campaign for Nepal began in January using vaccines donated from India. However, it was stopped when India experienced a catastrophic surge of COVID-19.
According to records from the Health Ministry, 44% of Nepal’s adult population have had at least one vaccine and 37% are fully vaccinated. About 72% of Nepal’s 30 million population are adults. Only people over 18 years old have been vaccinated, but the country intends to provide vaccines to people 12-17 years of age when available.
China sold millions of vaccines after India’s disruption. Through the U.N. distribution center COVAX, vaccines were also donated to Nepal.
Despite the shortages in Nepal throughout the year, vaccine centers have been overcrowded with people trying to get immunized.
Khatiwada stated that approximately 22 million doses of the drug have been administered. He expects 30 million more to arrive over the next few months.
Khatiwada stated that the Cabinet approved a plan to buy 6 million doses Pfizer vaccine from America while we get another 4 million Moderna vaccinations.
China offered 2 million more vaccines as a gesture, while Switzerland gave another half million.
He stated that there are no shortages of vaccines, but his main concern is to get these vaccines to all parts of the country, even remote mountain areas.
In April, Nepal was faced with its worst COVID-19 crisis. Hospitals were overcrowded with patients. People waited for oxygen cylinders in long lines.
The government has been criticised for repeatedly imposing lockdowns and its handling of the situation.
Nepal has reported 910 308 cases and 11,454 deaths from the virus.
