With the allocation of Rs. 49 billion from the Ministry of Finance for procurement of vaccines against COVID-19, the Ministry of Health and Population has already started preparation for cold-chain storage in all seven provinces.

Following GAVI's recommendation, the government has started preparations to import the vaccines. In an investment worth Rs. 80 million, the government is constructing cold chain storage in all seven provinces.

Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, assistant spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), told The Rising Nepal that the government had been cooperating with GAVI to import the vaccines in Nepal.

"GAVI, COVAX, the global project to provide vaccines to developing countries, has continuously been informing the concerned states about the progress happening in manufacture and production of COVID-19 jabs," Adhikari said."The vaccines will arrive soon as the necessary preparations are being made."

Stating that the COVID-19 vaccines would be made available to Nepal shortly, GAVI has called the Nepal government to stay prepared regarding storage, transportation of vaccines and other requirements as such.

It has been said that vaccines to be made available from COVAX need to be stored in temperature from 2 to 8 degree Celsius.