We are delighted and amazed that one million doses of COVID vaccines have reached Nepal and many of UMN’s hospital staff have already received their first dose!

In Okhaldhunga Community Hospital a vaccination centre was created in the maternal waiting home to vaccinate 409 people on 29-30 January, run in partnership with local government health workers. Most of the hospital, Community Based Rehabilitation and Okhaldhunga School of Health Sciences staff received the vaccine, as well as many district health and community health workers. In United Mission Hospital Tansen, 600 doses have been administered so far – to most of our staff and also for health workers and female community health volunteers from two nearby rural municipalities. 

It was hard to control the queues and crowds at both hospitals! A handful of people experienced stronger side effects for a day but have now recovered. India donated these doses of COVISHIELD (a license name for the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine). We are so grateful to see these vaccines reach Nepal and other lower income countries.

Drs Prakash Hamal, Ramesh Karki and Binay Thapa in Tansen.