Calling on an old friend

Gurkhas have served the British crown; now, the UK should help Nepal in its fight against Covid-19.

The secretary-general of Amnesty International has written an imploring letter to a British newspaper pointing out their utter failure in vaccine diplomacy. On June 24, the organisation called upon the United Kingdom government to reflect on the historic relationship with Nepal, and the contribution of hundreds of thousands of Nepali Gurkha soldiers in their battles over the years, and provide 1.4 million doses of AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine to the country effective immediately. In Nepal, 1.4 million people over 65 are waiting for their second dose of AZ.