May 23: The British government has agreed to provide 2 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal. The UK is set to provide the AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine to Nepal. Under the Covax Program of the World Health Organization (WHO), the UK has agreed to provide the vaccines free of cost.

The decision to provide vaccines to Nepal was not motivated by the diplomatic initiatives of related authorities, but by through the initiative of the Gurkhas and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt. The House of Lords of the Government of the UK made such decision after the joint initiative of Gurkhas and Ambassador Pollitt. The decision was made at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UK.

The UK made such decision saying that Nepal is in urgent need of vaccination at present. Last week, Ambassador Pollitt also briefed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in this regard.

Dr Jageshwor Gautam, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, confirmed the news of shipping in of 2 million doses of vaccine into Nepal.

“Under the World Health Organization's Covax program, the UK has decided to provide Nepal with 2 million doses of vaccine. We will get the written or official information probably in one or two days,” he said, adding, “Import of vaccines will be initiated only after receiving the official letter.”

Since the Serum Institute of India refused to export Covishield vaccine to Nepal, citizens who have taken the first dose have not been able to take the second dose of vaccination. In these conditions, the availability of vaccines from the UK can be considered as a positive aspect, as per the ministry of Health and Population.

Nepal will get 13.2 million doses of vaccine free of cost under the Covax program. However, Nepal has only received 348,000 doses of free vaccine so far.