ADB agrees to provide Rs 19.58 billion to purchase COVID vaccine

KATHMANDU: Nepal government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have reached an agreement, according to which, ADB is to provide Rs 19.58 billion concessional loan to Nepal to buy anti-COVID vaccines.

ADB country representative Arnaud Cauchois and Finance Secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini signed the agreement amidst a function organized at Finance Ministry on Wednesday.

It is hoped the assistance would be utilized to buy 15 million doses of anti-COVID vaccines to materialize the national vaccination drive. As many as 6.8 million people would be benefitted with the vaccination as a result of the support.

On the occasion, Secretary Marasini viewed that that ADB assistance would be a milestone to ensure vaccines and thereby safety to the Nepalis so that country’s economic could be restored. Vaccination is the top priority of the government, he added.

Similarly, ADB country director Cauchois expressed the belief that the ADB assistance to Nepal in such need would help Nepalis save lives and restore and economic and social activities. Such help to Nepal would continue in the days ahead, he assured.