KATHMANDU, MARCH 29
The Chinese government-donated 800,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine have arrived in Kathmandu, on Monday.
The Department of Drug Administration (DDA), under the Ministry of Health and Population, had approved the 'Vero Cell' vaccine manufactured by Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co Ltd (BIBP), China, under Sinopharm, for emergency use against Covid-19 in Nepal, on February 17.
Each 0.5 ml vaccine solution for injection contains 6.5 U of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 antigen. It is administrated via intramuscular injection.
A widebody airplane of the national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation, had gone to Beijing Capital International Airport on Sunday to ferry the vaccines back home.
The vaccine was handed over by Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Hou Yanqi to the Minister for Health and Population, Hridayesh Tripathi amid a programme at Tribhuvan International Airport, today.
According to the World Health Organisation, the assesment status of Sinopharm/BIBP developed vaccine within WHO's EUL/PQ evaluation process had reached the "in progress" stage as of January 20, 2021.
