July 15: Newly-appointed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has taken decisions with special attention to coronavirus in the first meeting of the Council of Ministers to convey the message that his government has kept coronavirus pandemic in top-priority list.

In the first cabinet meeting, Deuba decided to provide vaccines to all the citizens. The decision of the Council of Ministers aims to vaccinate one-third of citizens by mid-October. The meeting has also decided to vaccinate all those eligible for vaccination under certain criteria by mid-April.

The meeting also decided to make public the expenditure of the previous government for the prevention, control, and treatment of the Covid-19 pandemic and to start providing risk allowance to the health workers, security personnel, and cleaners who will be deployed on the frontline during the pandemic.

The cabinet meeting has also determined various priorities of the government. The government has also given high priority to the issue of maintaining law and order.

The prevention, control, and treatment of COVID-19, economic prosperity, and the rapid recovery of the economy affected by COVID-19 are also of high importance to the government.

The government has also decided to appoint a special advisor for effective control, prevention, and treatment of the coronavirus. Government Spokesperson and Minister for Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Gyanendra Bahadur Karki informed that the meeting has decided to make public the budget spent so far for the prevention, control, and treatment of COVID-19. Karki said that the government will introduce a special package within a week to revive the economy.

Similarly, the newly-appointed Finance Minister Janardan Sharma on Wednesday took the first decision to give Rs 5 billion to the Ministry of Health to purchase vaccine against Covid-19.

Sharma decided to implement the first decision made by the cabinet to ensure vaccination to all citizens. The vaccination campaign in Nepal has been affected due to an insufficient supply of vaccines.

The government has decided to disburse Rs. 961.21 million to federal and private hospitals to purchase HDUs, ventilators, ICUs, and coronavirus control health equipment. 

After taking charge of office, Minister Sharma said that prevention and control of corona and free vaccination to all citizens was the priority of the government and directed the staff to work to this effect. Finance Minister Sharma said that the government should move ahead in collaboration with the private sector as there was a need to revive the economy crippled by the pandemic.

Newly-appointed Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand approved Rs 2 million to the District Disaster Management Fund to provide relief to the flood and landslide victims.

Khand said that a decision would be taken after discussing with the experts regarding the implementation of the budget for the fiscal year 2078/79 BS.