Nepal President appeals Indian, Chinese counterparts for COVID-19 vaccines

Kathmandu [Nepal], May 26 Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Wednesday appealed to Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind for access to COVID-19 vaccines as the Himalayan Nation reels under the second wave of the pandemic.

President Bhandari wrote to Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind requesting him to help Nepal with regard to the supply of "Made in India" COVID-19 vaccines.

"It has been communicated through diplomatic channels with Indian President requesting access to locally developed and manufactured anti-COVID vaccine. President Bhandari also thanked India for its assistance till date to fight the pandemic and measures to control it," Tika Dhakal, Communication expert to Nepali President confirmed ANI.

As per the official, the Nepali President also requested the Indian President to help the Himalayan Nation in regard to interruption in supplies of previously ordered COVISHIELD Vaccines.

She also thanked India for providing vaccines under India's Vaccine Maitri initiative and the COVAX facility.

On Jan 2, Nepal had received one million doses from the Serum Institute of India and also a total of 348,000 doses of COVISHIELD under the COVAX facility on March 7.

The Nepal President also had a telephonic conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping with the same agenda, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed.

As per the ministry, the Chinese President committed one million dosages of the Chinese anti-COVID vaccine on a grant basis.

"During the conversation, the Chinese President announced that China will provide additional 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal as grant assistance. President Xi also assured that Nepal will remain on a priority of China in vaccine support and cooperation," release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

Nepal to date has recorded a total of 535525 cases of coronavirus with 411603 recoveries and 6845 cases of deaths. On Wednesday also Nepal recorded as many as 6,714 cases of infection while 6,716 COVID-19 patients recovered and got discharged.

The health ministry also recorded 145 deaths cases related to COVID-19 on the same day. There are currently 101,777 active cases of COVID-19 across the country. Of them, 108,620 are in home isolation, 8,457 are in institutional isolation, 1,671 in ICUs and 434 on ventilators.

( With inputs from ANI )