Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has said that though the government has allocated adequate budget to procure the vaccines, availability of vaccines has been delayed because of unequal distribution of vaccines around the world.
Speaking at a programme organised by the Health Journalists Forum on Friday, Minister Gyawali said that the government has allocated sufficient budget to procure vaccines. However, the unequal distribution has created problem, he added.
“ For the equal distribution of vaccines, we have hold discussions with United Nations, World Health Organisations, and GAVI, including other organisations,” said Minister Gyawali in the virtual meeting.
Minister Gyawali said that the vaccine procurement process would be confirmed within 15 days.
The government is holding discussions for the procurement of vaccines with various countries and they have responded positively, said Minister Gyawali.
On the occasion, Minister Gyawali said that there would be a ‘breakthrough’ conclusion within 15 days, as some of the countries have declared to provide vaccines as assistance.
The countries including the USA and the UK are positive to providing us the vaccines, said Minister Gyawali. “We are making effort to inoculate the targeted population by the end of 2021.”
The government is not only depending on the assistance for vaccines but is also making effort to purchase
on its own, said Minister Gyawali, ading that the Ministry of Finance has already allocated Rs.36 billion to purchase the vaccines.
Minister Gyawali informed that the vaccines to be provided by the Chinese government would arrive in Kathmandu by the first week of June.
Around 1.5 million citizens of Nepal are waiting for the second dose of Covishield vaccine. “We are making initiative to bring Astrazeneca vaccines for them,” said Minister Gyawali.
As formula and company of Astrazeneca is similar to Covishield vaccine, we can inoculate the vaccine manufactured in other countries as well in place of Covishield, said Dr. Taranath Pokharel, Director at the Family Welfare Division under Department of Health.
According to Dr. Pokharel, though the production countries are different, the composition of vaccines are same, Astrazeneca would be alternative to Covishield vaccine.
The World Health Organisation has also provided authorisation for Astrazeneca in the alternative of Covishield vaccine, said Dr. Pokharel. “We cannot mix vaccine from different companies with different composition, but vaccines with same compositions can be inoculated.”
Source : THE RISING NEPAL,
