Nepal Airlines plane bringing anti-COVID vaccine from China

KATHMANDU: The national flag carrier- Nepal Airlines- is bringing anti-COVID vaccine from Beijing, China. As per government decision, Nepal Airlines Corporation has stepped up preparations to send widebody A-330 plane to China on July 8.

NAC General Manager Dim Prakash Poudel informed that preparation was underway to bring the anti-COVID vaccine from China.

He however said amount of the vaccine and whether it was on grant or procurement was not ascertained.

It has been learnt that NAC was directed to bring one million doses of vaccines in the first flight.

Nepal has already received 1.8 million doses of Vero Cell vaccine manufactured by Sinopharm as a donation.

However, the government has stepped up efforts to buy vaccine from China after India blocked export of Covishield vaccine and COVAX has also failed to deliver vaccine to Nepal.

Nepal has already paid for one million doses of Covishield vaccine. A large number of people aged above 60 and above have received first dose of Covishield but could not get second dose. They are waiting for more than five months for the second dose.