GAIGHAT, MAY 19

Local levels of Udayapur district have come together to initiate the procurement of Covid-19 vaccine on its own.

The four rural municipalities and four municipalities in the district have allocated budget for the purpose.

A virtual meeting of Udayapur Development Board held on Tuesday had decided to manage the budget for vaccine procurement from the upcoming fiscal year's infrastructural development budget, chair of the Board and Mayor of Triyuga Municipality, Baldev Chaudhary informed.

He added that the local levels came to this decision since the Ministry is delaying the distribution of vaccine.

Chaudhary said, 'Currently, the district is observing high rate of infections and deaths due to the disease. Hence, vaccine is the only solution to fight against the contagion. So we have thought to make vaccine available for all the people as the way out.'

The eight local levels have population of approximately 300,000. According to Mayor Chaudhary, the budget can provide the vaccine to 200,000 people.

He informed that the authorities have sent their request to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration for approval. They have also made further decisions regarding oxygen plant for which each municipality will provide one million and each rural municipality will provide Rs 500,000.

Despite having decided to allocate budget for the vaccines, it is unclear as to how the local levels would channelise the process and where would the jabs be brought in from as the federal government too is struggling with the process of procuring the same.