Securing enough doses

The government must act fast to ensure timely procurement of the 5 million doses required for the second jab.

The first million doses of the Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India arrived in Nepal sooner than expected under a grant from the southern neighbour. The government then swiftly procured another 2 million doses last month; but the planned procurement of an additional 5 million doses for the second jab, which must be administered eight to 12 weeks after the first, has hit a hitch after the manufacturer refused to sell them at $4 apiece, the price Nepal paid earlier.