Nepal has allowed private firms in the country to import COVID-19 vaccines and put a maximum 10 percent profit cap on it, as per a report in the Himalayan Times. 

The move came days after the authorities in Nepal struggle to import vaccines, fearing the nonavailability of vaccines may slow-down the pace of its vaccination drive. On Sunday, Nepal’s Health Ministry issued directives in this regard. 

“We have decided to let private companies import COVID-19 vaccines. Those who wish to get the jabs now can get inoculated by paying on their own from private health facilities,” an official of the health ministry was quoted as saying by The Kathmandu Post. 

So far, Nepal has bought two million doses of Covishield from the Serum Institute of India (SII), plus one million doses were donated by the government of India. Also, Nepal got around 340,000 vaccines from the WHO’s Covax facility. 

Earlier, reports suggested that the Nepali government was in discussion with the Serum Institute for additional 2 million doses of vaccines. But the SII was reportedly charging higher than the previous deal. 

Health officials also fear that country may not sustain the free vaccines for all. Allowing the private players, they argue, would ease the fiscal pressure on the government.