July 11, Kathmandu.
The Ministry of Health and Population has stated that the vaccination program against Kovid-19 will now be conducted regularly. Ministry spokesperson Dr. Speaking at a regular press briefing on Sunday, Krishna Poudel said that the process of vaccination from China was continuing.
Inaugurating the newly constructed surgical building of Veer Hospital on Sunday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that no one would have to suffer due to lack of vaccines and that all the citizens would be vaccinated by 2021.
The government had entered into a 'non-negotiable agreement' with Chinese company Sinopharm to purchase 4 million vaccines. As per the agreement, 800,000 vaccines were brought to Kathmandu in the first lot on Friday morning. The government plans to bring the vaccine through two more flights by July 25.
Government officials have confirmed that 1.5 million doses of vaccine provided by the United States to Nepal under the Covax program will arrive in Kathmandu on Monday. The vaccine, produced by the American company Johnson & Johnson, requires a single dose.
He said that the vaccination campaign program will be continued as the availability of vaccines increases. He said that vaccination has been given to various risk groups on a priority basis as per the national vaccination operation policy.
He said that the senior citizens above 65 years of age were given the first dose of Covishield but could not get the second dose due to an untimely supply of vaccines. He said the government was trying to arrange vaccinations for senior citizens waiting for the second dose.
Saying that Nepal is in the process of getting more vaccines, Dr. Poudel said that the priority age group will be vaccinated as per the recommendations of the National Immunization Advisory Committee and the National Immunization Operation Policy.
"The government will soon decide to vaccinate the priority age groups, groups at risk of missing out on various causes in the past, people with different conditions such as people with disabilities, and professionals at risk," he said. Poudel said.
He said that the district vaccination coordination committee chaired by the chief district officer will conduct a vaccination program after receiving the vaccine from the central government.
"The district vaccination coordination committee conducts vaccinations in the wards of all the municipalities in turn," he said. Poudel said, "According to the policy set by the government, do not miss vaccination in your turn. If you miss such an important thing during an epidemic, it may not be easy to do it again. I would like to appeal for vaccination only in turn, except for some difficulties.
The government has also made voluntary arrangements for online registration for vaccines. Poudel also requested the citizens interested in getting vaccinated fill-up the online form. He said that it would be easier for the citizens interested in getting vaccinated to make the vaccination program more systematic by filling up the online form.
The government aims to vaccinate 72 percent of the population.
How many vaccines came from where?
So far, 5 million 48 thousand doses of the corona vaccine have been introduced in Nepal. As per the purchase agreement, 800,000 doses of the Verosel vaccine were imported from China on Friday. Earlier, China had provided 1.8 million doses of the Verosel vaccine as a grant.
Similarly, Nepal had received Rs. 1 million out of the purchase agreement with India and Rs. 1.1 million in grants. Out of the purchase agreement with India, 1 million doses of vaccine are yet to come. Similarly, 348,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine were received through the Covax program.
How many citizens have been fully vaccinated?
As of Sunday, more than one million people in Nepal have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
According to the ministry, 1,041,366 people have been vaccinated with both Covishield and Verosel. The ministry has stated that the number of people taking the first dose alone is 1.57 million.
