In “Vaccine Apartheid”, Nepal is zero.I need help from the United States

THis world has reached the age of Covid-19 “Vaccine apartheid.. “ It was a warning from General Tedros Adhanom Gebreez of the World Health Organization this week. Nepal is now zero.

Nepal outperforms India in Covid-19 deaths per capita and far outstrips other South Asian countries. About 40% The number of Covid-19 tests has returned to positive. Nepal’s healthcare system is equipped with less than 2,000 ICU beds and 600 ventilators for a population of 30 million. Collapsed.. As a member of the Nepalese Parliament (GKT), which represents the region hit by Kathmandu, and as a US medical researcher who has worked with colleagues on strengthening the health care system for 15 years, we call for action.

The humanitarian crisis caused by the pandemic is 2015 earthquake It devastated the country and claimed the lives of nearly 9,000 people. This crisis can lead to political instability and threaten the foundations of Nepal’s democratic system.

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The United States is in a unique position to avoid further catastrophes in Nepal. Due to Nepal’s extraordinary vaccine infrastructure, sharing doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from stock to prevent further loss of life in Nepal and complete the first vaccination of the Nepalese population Immediate bilateral support by doing so is essential. Given the opportunity, a country can deliver vaccines fairly and quickly to its population.Nepal Equivalent rate For as many childhood vaccinations as in the United States, and quickly and fairly Covid-19 vaccine distributed I received it earlier this year.Have a strong Ethical discussion To immediately support the countries with the greatest needs.

As revealed in the previous testimony US Senate Foreign Relations Commission What happened to Covid-19 worldwide on May 12 will have a fundamental impact on the health, human rights and financial interests of the United States. Sacrifice the world economy Almost $ 10 trillion.

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Nepal is not only a democratic ally, but of particular strategic importance to the United States. In addition, more than 200,000 Nepalese people live in the United States, making a significant contribution to its society.

The virus has already killed millions of Nepalese before the second wave of Covid-19 begins this spring On the brink of hunger And it caused widespread financial damage. Prior to the virus attack, the country’s medical infrastructure was inadequate. Now it’s completely overwhelming.

Nepal, like many other countries, is entirely dependent on other countries that can manufacture or donate the Covid-19 vaccine. Almost 2 million Nepalese, formerly manufactured in India, are waiting for a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Stopped Because the country is dealing with its own Covid-19 crisis. Nepal is unknowingly in the midst of a large epidemiological experiment until those individuals receive a second dose. Since large populations have only partial immunity, some of them may generate new mutants. These strains Escape variant, Emerge from the evolutionary pressure exerted by partial immunity.The possibilities of these escape variants are Concerns of virologists and epidemiologists Through the worldwide deployment of vaccines. Such variants are unlikely to occur, but they are not the risk we want to take.

The United States has already begun mobilizing immediate disaster relief for the Covid-19 crisis around the world. The Biden administration is currently funding vaccine facilities around the world. COVAX.. While becoming an essential player to move forward, in the case of Nepal, there is a specific need for direct and immediate bilateral vaccine support from the United States. Nepal is completely dependent on production in India and needs a vaccine to control the pandemic while India is struggling. Suppress your own pandemic and resume production of vaccines and other therapies for other countries.

The Biden administration recommends promising immediate release of up to 12 million vaccinations from US stockpiles. This is sufficient to complete the vaccination course for the first vaccinated person and at the same time complete the complete vaccination of the entire elderly and highly vulnerable people. In the country. Given the seriousness of the Covid-19 pandemic in Nepal, every effort must be made to vaccinate the entire target population of Nepal this year.

Nepal can be delivered on the ground. From the tropical climate of Terai to the dangerous mountainous villages of the Himalayas, we have seen healthcare professionals reach the country’s most extreme and unreachable places.The infrastructure for hospital care in Nepal is fragmented, but the human infrastructure to deliver vaccines fairly to every corner of the country It is a global model..

If sufficient vaccines are provided, Nepal will deliver them to the population. Providing vaccines to Nepal is unparalleled for the United States to save lives, re-commit to friendships with the country, and add a new chapter to America’s long-established cooperation in strengthening Nepal’s healthcare system. It’s an opportunity.

Gagan K. Thapa is a member of the Parliament of Nepal and a former Minister of Health and Population of the country. Duncan Maru is a physician and pediatrician at NYC Health & Hospitals / Elmhurst in Queens, New York, and an associate professor of global health at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.