Health Ministry refutes news reports on the involvement of govt in COVID-19 vaccine procurement scam

Published On: May 7, 2021 03:43 PM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


KATHMANDU, May 7: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has clarified that the news reports that claimed the involvement of the government in the Covishield vaccine procurement scam are not true.

The Department of Health Service under the MoHP itself takes the decision regarding the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines so the news published in various news outlets regarding the involvement of the government in the vaccine procurement scam is false, reads a press statement issued by the MoHP on Friday.

The MoHP also maintained that Nepal has already received 1 million doses of Covishield vaccines out of 2 million doses purchased at 4 USD per dose from India. The Serum Institute of India is currently unable to provide Nepal the remaining doses of vaccine as India is badly hit by the second wave of COVID-19, the statement reads further.

The statement of the MoHP comes in the wake of news reports that the traders and commission agents working closely with PM Oli were allegedly obstructing the COVID-19 procurement in Nepal, hiking the vaccine prices and pocketing commissions worth millions of rupees. 

 


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