Nepal begins nationwide inoculation drive against coronavirus pandemic

Nepal on Wednesday began its nationwide inoculation drive after receiving one million Covishield vaccines, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), from the Indian government last week.

Front line workers such as doctors, nurses, hospital cleaners, members of the security forces and those managing the bodies of people who succumbed to COVID-19 are first in line to get the jab.

Dr Sagar Kumar Rajbhandari, the Director of Sukraraj Tropical Infectious Disease Hospital received the first jab of Covishield, marking the start of the "Anti-COVID" drive in the Himalayan Nation.

Nepal received a batch of one million doses of Covishield vaccines from India on grant assistance last week which also would be administered to the elderly as well as those suffering from chronic diseases.

The Government of Nepal on January 15 approved the use of COVISHIELD developed by Serum Institute of India for emergency use.