Kathmandu, January 1
Nepal has begun the formal process to import Covid-19 vaccine from India. Newly appointed Health Minister Hridayesh Tripathi met Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Thursday to talk about purchasing the vaccine, informed Indian Embassy, Kathmandu.
The embassy said that the vaccine will be brought to Nepal as soon as it is released for emergency-use in India.
Six Covid-19 vaccines are in different stages of clinical trial in India. Dr VG Somani, Drug Controller General of India, on Thursday hinted that some of these vaccines could be approved and be out for the public soon. According to various news outlets in India, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation is meeting on Friday over approval of emergency-use of three vaccines.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently wrote to the Indian government, requesting for the supply of the vaccines that would suffice the need for the 20 per cent of the population, according to Nepali Ambassador to India, Nilamber Acharya.
Sources say that the government is also preparing to start similar initiatives for the import of vaccines from other countries.