Kathmandu: Nepal will receive more than one million doses of astrazeneca vaccine from Japan when the country faces severe jab shortages.
The Japanese Embassy was here in a statement said Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu announced Tuesday that the government would contribute around 1.6 million doses of Astrazeneca vaccine made in Japan for Nepal as a grant through the global Covid vaccine equity scheme.
“The right shipping schedule will be confirmed that the procurement arrangement will be resolved by an international organization responsible for this issue,” he said.
Nepal began a vaccination drive with 1 million covishield doses, the AstraZeneca type vaccine produced by the Institute of India, which was talented for Nepal by the Indian government.
Of the 2 million doses purchased by Nepal from the Serum Institute, only 1 million doses sent.
The announcement of Japan has brought a pause of Nepal’s senior citizens who, after the months of uncertainty, has now convinced to receive a second dose of booster, the Himalaya Times reported.
Close to 1.30 million Nepal over the age of 65 who has received the first dose of Covishield in March has not received the second dose because of the prohibition of India on the export of covid vaccine (after the increase in the Coronavirus case in the country), the report said.
As many as 1.6 million doses of vaccine made in Japan will be sent to Nepal between mid-July and at the end of August, he said.
According to the statement of the Japanese Embassy, ​​the vaccine provided by the country will “effectively help injection the two elderly people who already have covisheld’s first vaccination”.
“They will also be useful for continuing vaccination campaigns for young generation who have not been vaccinated,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kaseload Coronavirus Nepal reached 658,778 on Tuesday with 1,639 more people who tested infection on the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said.
Covid-19 mortality victims in the country rose to 9,412 with 12 deaths again, he said.