LOGIN DASHBOARD

    COVID19

    Features

    4 MIN READ

    Nepal rolls out vaccinations with over 9,000 inoculated on Wednesday

    The Record, January 27, 2021, Kathmandu

    Nepal rolls out vaccinations with over 9,000 inoculated on Wednesday

      Share this article

    Prime Minister Oli has pledged to vaccinate all Nepalis in three months but that seems unlikely

    (The Record)

    Nepal on Wednesday began Covid-19 vaccinations with health care workers at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, the frontline facility for the coronavirus, receiving the Covishield vaccine.

    A total of 9,084 people, including Dr. Sagar Raj Bhandari, director of the hospital, from across the country received the vaccine on Wednesday, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health and Population. The Covishield vaccination was administered from 62 hospitals in all seven provinces and 17 hospitals in the Capital, on the first day. The campaign will continue for 10 days, during which time it will be expanded to 300 vaccine stations in all 77 districts. Nepal has altogether 16,000 immunisation centres across the country. 

    No sooner had Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced the inauguration of the vaccination drive on Wednesday at 10 am, 300 health workers at the Sukraraj Hospital in Teku became the first to get vaccinated.

    “As a medical professional, I feel lucky to get the first jab developed by a trusted institution,” said Dr Anup Bastola, an infectious disease specialist at the Teku hospital. 

    The vaccinations come earlier than expected, as public information was scant concerning the government’s vaccination plan. Nepal last week received 1 million doses of the Covishield vaccine as a “gift” from the Indian government. 

    Doctors vaccinate against covid at the Teku Vaccination center at Shukraraj Tropical and Communicable Diseases Hospital on Wednesday under the Covid-19 vaccination campaign.Photo-RSS[/caption]

    The government has prioritised frontline workers -- health workers, support staff at health facilities, female community health volunteers, security personnel, and sanitation workers -- for the first round of inoculations. 

    The Health Ministry plans to complete the first phase of the vaccination campaign within 10 days, vaccinating 430,000 people. Over 600 health workers have been trained to administer the vaccine, according to the ministry. 

    Nepal will need to vaccinate 20 million people, which is 72 percent of its 29 million population, if it is to achieve herd immunity. Half a million vaccine doses will be spent on frontline workers while the remaining vaccines will be given to people in need, according to the Health Ministry. 

    Prime Minister Oli on Wednesday pledged to finish vaccinating the entire population in three months but that’s unlikely to happen. Besides the 1 million doses donated by India, Nepal has no concrete plans to procure the necessary 19 million vaccines. The government is depending on COVAX, the global vaccine alliance, to provide at least 20 percent of the required vaccines by March, said Health Minister Hridayesh Tripathi. 

    On Wednesday, Minister Tripathi attempted to downplay the impacts of Covid-19 in Nepal.

    “About 98 percent of people overcome diseases,” he said at a programme organised to launch the nationwide vaccine programme. “Millions of people suffer from the virus but losses were lower in our country when compared to others.” 

    Read also: Everything you need to know about the vaccines arriving Thursday

    The death toll from Covid-19 has reached 2,017, while 270,092 cases have been reported so far, according to official data from the Health Ministry. 

    Covid-19 cases have declined in recent days, despite the government relaxing all precautionary measures. Many believe that a decrease in testing is behind the fall in numbers. Oli, however, continued to perpetuate the unsubstantiated belief that Nepalis are stronger because of their lifestyle and diet. 

    “People are still cautious, but they are not terrorised. Earlier, there was terror about the virus,” Oli said.


     



    author bio photo

    The Record  We are an independent digital publication based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Our stories examine politics, the economy, society, and culture. We look into events both current and past, offering depth, analysis, and perspective. Explore our features, explainers, long reads, multimedia stories, and podcasts. There’s something here for everyone.



    Comments

    Get the best of

    the Record

    Previous Next

    YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

    COVID19

    News

    4 min read

    Covid19 Roundup, 30 April: Migrant labourers finally enter Nepal while testing remains dismally low

    The Record - April 30, 2020

    A daily summary of Covid19 related developments that matter

    Features

    7 min read

    How the state continues to dispossess Chepangs

    Dewan Rai - July 28, 2020

    The forceful eviction of landless Chepangs from protected forest areas is a violation of their constitutional rights

    Features

    7 min read

    Once again, the government fails its commitment to the poor

    The Record - November 3, 2020

    The government’s failed Covid response is another indication of its unwillingness to uphold its constitutional responsibility

    Perspectives

    7 min read

    Let’s talk tech

    Rubin Ghimire - May 14, 2020

    We need to reduce tech use and develop better tech habits

    COVID19

    Explainers

    6 min read

    Everything you need to know about the vaccines arriving Thursday

    The Record - January 20, 2021

    The Record explains how the Covishield vaccine works and how the government will roll out the first million doses

    Features

    8 min read

    Nepali surveyor’s arduous journey to get to 8,848.86

    Bhadra Sharma - December 8, 2020

    How Khim Lal Gautam risked life and limb to ensure Nepal would be able to calculate Mt Everest’s official new height

    COVID19

    Features

    Photo Essays

    5 min read

    The system has failed

    Parwat Portel - May 24, 2021

    Roshan Sunuwar died last year, not from Covid-19, but from a critical failure of Nepal’s health care system.

    COVID19

    7 min read

    Preventing and treating Covid-19 during the second lockdown

    Record Nepal - April 28, 2021

    Public health experts caution against hoarding inhalers and oxygen canisters and ask the public to refrain from self-medicating. Always consult a doctor before taking any drugs.

    • About
    • Contributors
    • Jobs
    • Contact

    CONNECT WITH US

    © Copyright the Record | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy