Kathmandu: Nepal will get four million doses of Vero cell vaccines from China with a non-disclosure agreement signed between the two countries, said the source even though officials from the Ministry of Health and the population refused to comment on this problem.
Exposing a notification on Friday late at night, the Ministry of Health and the population announced that Nepal would begin to receive a vero cell vaccine dose produced by Sinopharm the following week.
“In connection with the procurement of vaccines, the Nepalese government has signed an agreement with the Beijing China-based Sinopharm company based on which the vaccine supply will begin on July 8, 2021 every week,” Krishna’s spokesman at the Ministry said in the release.
The ministry has not determined the number of doses that have been contracted with Chinese companies and cost per dose.
But the sources in the ministry confirmed to Ani that the agreement to buy four million doses of Vero Cell had been made based on the non-disclosure agreement between the two countries.
After being contacted, officials at the Ministry declined to comment.
Nepal until the date has received a total of 4.2 million doses of anti-covid vaccine from India, China, Gavi Covax facility (one of the three pillars of access to the Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, which was launched in April.
It brings together with the government, global health organizations, producers, scientists, private sectors, civil society and philanthropy, with the aim of providing innovative and fair access to diagnostics, covid care and vaccine.
Of the total vaccine received, one million commercial doses purchased from India While the rest is a donation.
In accordance with the ministry, a total of 9 percent of the population has been given the first dose of vaccines – both covishield or Vero Cell – while 3 percent of the population has received a complete (two) doses of anti-covid vaccines.