NEFPORT ISSUE 47 – DECEMBER 2021
Health During the review period, new deals have been signed by the Government of Nepal to continue its vaccine drive and inoculate the remaining targeted population. The incidence of communicable and non-communicable diseases has increased as the COVID-19 pandemic obstructed treatment. The shortage of medical personnel and medical equipment remains one of the major challenges of Nepal’s health sector. VACCINATION IMMUNIZATION
AND
Demand for COVID-19 vaccines saturate in Kathmandu Metropolitan City: Kathmandu Metropolitan City has stopped its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, aside from the Pfizer doses aimed at chronically ill patients, as only few people have shown up for their immunization.104 With only 7,000 doses of PfizerBioNTech being administered out of the over 100,000 doses of vaccines in stock, the government has opened PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to all children above 12 years of age. Around 1,500 children were vaccinated on 21st November 2021, the first day of the announcement. At the current average pace of 49,551 doses administered per day, additional 460 days will be required to administer the jab to the rest of the population.105 Approvals for Vaccine Trial in Nepal: Nepal Health Research Council is in the process of approving third phase trials of WestVac Biopharma Co.’s COVID-19 vaccine. The company has submitted most of the requested documents and
approval will be granted after a review of documents by the ethical board. COVID-19 vaccine developed by the French multinational Sanofi Pasteur and British pharmaceutical GlaxoSmithKline has begun trial with 2,000 volunteers at Dhulikhel Hospital and 1,000 volunteers at Nepalgunj Medical College, after it received approval. The trials for Chinese mRNA COVID vaccines have not begun yet and is expected to be conducted on 3,000 volunteers at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.106 India Resumes COVID-19 Vaccine Export: India has resumed exports of COVID-19 vaccines, albeit in small amounts and will increase the exports significantly as their domestic stock increases. With one-third of India’s adult population receiving both shots of COVID-19 vaccine, India has exported 4 million shots so far after it recommenced vaccine diplomacy. By next year, India is expected to produce 300-320 million shots of vaccines per month as locally developed vaccines get regulatory approvals and move closer to production.107 COVID-19 Vaccination Update: Nepal has received 1.02 million
doses of Vero Cell vaccine out of the 5.9 million doses of vaccines the country has purchased through the COVAX scheme, with a loan from the Asian Development Bank. The COVAX facility is providing 6.04 million doses of Astra Zeneca vaccine set to arrive in December.108 The Maldives is sending its 201,600 surplus doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal.109 The Government of Canada has supplied Nepal with 368,000 surplus doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.110 Nepal has received 492,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from Switzerland and the COVAX facility. The People’s Liberation Army of China has provided 300,000 doses of Vero Cell vaccine to the Nepal Army.111 Nepal has also received 1.6 million doses of Vero Cell vaccine as a grant from China.112 The Ministry of Health and Population has been planning to purchase 5 million doses of Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India.113 PROCUREMENT SUPPLIES
OF
HEALTH
Fast-track Procurement of Medical Goods Stopped: An ordinance issued on COVID-19 management which allowed
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