Stumbling vaccination programme needs fixing

 Kathmandu, January 19 – Tackling COVID-19 effectively requires strong, evidence-based leadership that puts people first. Sadly, Nepal’s response so far—especially its vaccination campaign—has been slow, confusing, and lacking direction. But it’s not too late to turn things around by using common sense and learning from Nepal’s own successful immunization programs.

Here’s how Nepal can get its COVID-19 vaccination campaign back on track:

Open More Vaccination Sites: Nepal already has thousands of immunization sites for children. We should be using even more for COVID-19. The virus doesn’t stop spreading on weekends or after 5 p.m., so vaccination centers should operate longer hours and every day of the week.

Involve the Private Sector: About 70% of Nepal’s healthcare system is private. Just like the private sector was used for COVID-19 testing and hospital beds, it should be brought in for vaccinations too. It’s strange that some health officials are hesitant when many of them are themselves connected to private health institutions.

Relax Who Can Give Vaccines: Don’t demand stricter requirements than rich countries. Train medical students and volunteers to give vaccines, instead of limiting the task to only a small number of professionals.

Be Transparent: Make all vaccine information public—how many doses are available, which brands, their expiry dates, and what’s coming next. People deserve to know.

Publish a Clear Vaccination Schedule: Share district-wise vaccination plans with dates, times, and venues for at least the next month. Distribute this widely through TV, radio, leaflets, and social media. Without detailed planning at the local level, no vaccination drive can succeed.

Communicate Effectively: Confusing or limited information leads to mistrust. Use radio, loudspeakers, songs, and trusted community figures—like teachers and priests—to spread clear and positive messages. Make sure information reaches even those without smartphones or internet access.

Support Frontline Health Workers: Many health workers across the country haven’t received their promised risk allowances, even though officials in Kathmandu have. This needs to be fixed immediately. If frontline workers feel ignored, they may stop cooperating—and who could blame them?

Fix the Information System: If companies like Pathao or Foodmandu can track deliveries in real time, the government should be able to do the same for vaccine distribution. The current digital mess shows poor planning and possibly even corruption.

Be Transparent About Spending: The government should ask the Supreme Court to cancel secrecy deals about vaccine prices. Since vaccine data is now public, there’s no reason not to reveal how public money is being used. Calls for more vaccine purchases must be matched with openness.

Act With Urgency: Health officials must treat this situation like the emergency it is. Delays cost lives. Scientific evidence should guide decisions—and when all else fails, remember that karma won’t forgive negligence.

In summary: Without urgent changes, Nepal’s vaccination campaign won’t reach enough people in time. More lives will be lost—not just to the virus, but to poor planning and missed opportunities. In a country that gave the world the message of peace through Buddha, failing to act when solutions are within reach is a tragedy we can still avoid.