KATHMANDU, August 19: The remaining doses of AstraZeneca vaccine Japan pledged for Nepal through COVAX Facility are expected to arrive in Kathmandu on August 21 and 23, according to the Embassy of Japan in Kathmandu.
The half of approximately 1.6 million doses was delivered to Nepal on August 7 and 8. The vaccines are being used in the current vaccination campaign. The exact amount of vaccine donated from Japan to Nepal will be 1,614,740 doses in total, the Embassy said in a statement on Thursday.
500,000 AstraZeneca vaccines arrive from Japan today
Officials at the Ministry of Health and Population said they have been administering the vaccines received earlier from Japan to those who have already received the first doze of AstraZeneca vaccine but awaiting for the second dose. The government had earlier administered the vaccines to elderly people.
Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Kikuta Yutaka said the vaccine donation is a symbol of friendship between Japan and Nepal. "Japan is a country which keeps her words and I am pleased all the more that Japan will provide actually more than pledged 1.6 million doses vaccines by the end of August," said the ambassador.
Ambassador Yutaka also said that they deeply appreciate the dedication and hard work of all related organizations in international community. "The Embassy of Japan is working together with the Government of Nepal; COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO; and international community for the mitigation of COVID-19 pandemic as well as for the progress of post-COVID society and economy of Nepal," he further said
