File Photo: Flag of The US and Nepal showing US-Nepal Relations

The 1.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be provided by the US government under the COVAX facility are to reach Nepal on Monday morning. The vaccines are being delivered from Brussels by the Johnson & Johnson company of the USA.

Nepali Ambassador to the US Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada said that this support from the USA in times of a pandemic is very significant. Talking to RSS, Dr Khatiwada said the US President had in his response to a letter from President Bidya Devi Bhandari said that the US would provide maximum possible support to Nepal. He had also said that the US government would implement the decision of the G7 meeting on vaccines. The G7 meeting recently had decided to accord high priority to the worldwide distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

Maryland General Assembly legislature Harry Bhandary, who has been coordinating efforts to provide Nepal vaccines through US federal people's representatives, said the US government has always been giving priority to Nepal in every support. "Our first effort of continuous coordination through the people's representatives has become successful," he said.

Nepal is also making efforts to procure more vaccines from the US, but many companies have said new contracts cannot be reached until 2021.