Vaccines against COVID-19 to be given to all citizens soon: FM Sharma

KATHMANDU, August 12: Finance Minister Janardan Sharma has said that vaccines against COVID-19 would be provided to all the remaining citizens of the country soon.

In a speech regarding present economic condition of the country delivered in today’s National Assembly meeting, Finance Minister shared that it was the government’s first responsibility to protect the people’s life by providing vaccine against COVID-19 on time and to activate the economy. 

The Finance Minister had presented the same statement in the meeting of House of Representatives on Tuesday. 

He clarified that the incumbent government has focused its efforts to bring positive change and prosperity in people’s life, facing problem of COVID-19 pandemic, turning the life into normalcy and reviving the economy affected due to this.

Saying coronavirus would come under control only if all the citizens get vaccine, the Finance Minister expressed commitment not to allow budget crunch to buy vaccine. 
He opined, “I have allocated budget required for the Health and Population Ministry to buy vaccine against COVID-19 on the same day I became the Finance Minister.  I am still in regular discussion. The Ministry is ready to provide the budget required for the same.” 

Stating that the incumbent government has been formed in between serious public health crisis and adverse economy created by COVID-19 pandemic, Finance Minister Sharma shared that protecting  the public health by providing vaccine against COVID-19 and other health services and making the country’s economy dynamic through the medium of policy-level improvement was government’s first responsibility.

He shared that 1.3 million people are waiting for second dose of COVID-19 vaccines. According to him, 2 million 679 thousand 811 individuals have received first dose of vaccines while 1 million 112 thousand166 have received second dose of the vaccines by the Mid July.   According to the data of the Ministry of Health and Population, 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines have imported in the country till the date.

Minister Sharma committed to revive the economy and gain the hope of people showing the optimism in each economic indicator of the national economy.  He further committed to stop the exploitation over government resources. Finance Minister Sharma argued to make the agro sectors self-reliant by decreasing the import and increasing the export of the domestic goods. 

The Finance Minister also opined to enhance the employment opportunity targeting to the marginalized and poor communities even to meet the goal of socialism oriented constitution. 

Responding to the queries of the lawmakers on the fact paper issued by him, Minister urged all not to be misled as it was a mirror of national economy and all fact based data were incorporated there. 

He committed to not let the financial crunch occur in national pride projects.  Minister Sharma also committed to prioritize in budget allocation to Province-2, Karnali Province and Sudurpachim Province in future.