China is providing 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine as grant assistance

 After India, now China has come forward to help Nepal get vaccine against Covid-19 on the request of the government.

Issuing a press note today, the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu said that China has decided to provide 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine under grant assistance to Nepal. “The Chinese government has decided to provide 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines under grant assistance to Nepal, which will benefit 150,000 Nepalis,” The press note reads, adding that China and Nepal are good neighbours, good friends and good partners. “Facing whatever challenges like the earthquake and the pandemic, the two countries have always supported and helped each other through thick and thin.”

“Despite huge demands for the vaccines both in China domestically and across the world at present, the Chinese government has prioritised Nepal in providing the vaccines, fully demonstrating the great importance it attaches to the China-Nepal friendship," the press note reads, adding that the vaccine to be donated to Nepal is developed by the Sinopharm and has already got conditional marketing approval in China. “After a two-dose inoculation procedure, the vaccine shows 79.34 per cent efficacy against Covid-19, and the seroconversion rate of neutralising antibodies reached 99.52 per cent.”

The safety and effectiveness of the vaccine has surpassed the marketing standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO), and received wide recognition by other countries. “The vaccine has got licenses for marketing or approval for emergency use in 13 countries including Pakistan, the UAE, Egypt, and Hungary.

The embassy is coordinating with Nepali authorities on the registration for emergency use and receipt of the vaccine and would like to deliver the vaccines to the Nepali side at the earliest so as to help Nepal win the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the press note. “The Chinese side is willing to work together with the Nepali side to build a community of health for all and further strengthen and promote the strategic partnership of cooperation featuring the ever-lasting friendship for development and prosperity between the two countries.”

India has provided 1 million corona vaccine to Nepal as the gift under its 'neighbourhood first' policy.