Parashi, June 4- Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi said the government has emphatically placed preparedness in view of the third wave of COVID-19 likely to occur during the coming winter. Speaking to journalists at Parasiin Nawalparashi district today, Minister Tripathi asserted that the government had also prioritized vaccination drive as a preventive measure against COVID-19.

Sharing the American government’s decision to provide Nepal with 5 million doses of vaccine against the flu-like infection, Tripathi extended his gratitude towards the American government and the American ambassador to Nepal for this medical assistance. Furthermore, the Minister shared that the government was regularly in talks with the vaccine-manufacturer countries to procure as much as vaccines and shared that another 700,000 doses of vaccines were likely to arrive Nepal from India for those receiving the first shot.

According to him, 8 million doses of vaccines pledged by the government of Russia will arrive by December this year. Request has been placed with the Russian government to send half of the committed doses of vaccines at the earliest, informed Tripathi.On a different note, Tripathi shared that Janata Samajwadi Party’s Mahantha Thakur side was going to participate in the incumbent government. He ruled out that Janata Samajwadi Party and his faction were going to form another party.

Tripathi, during this visit to his hometown Parasi, visited and took cognizance of the family of Abhinash Rajbhar of Bankatti of Susta Village who had died on May 19 after being shot by Armed Police Force personnel.
Rajbhar, 22, had died in a shootout ensued after a confrontation between the locals residing in borderig area in India and the Armed Police Force personnel.

The Minister ranted that the death of Rajbhar had shown the atrocity and recklessness of the Armed Police Force guarding the Nepal-India border side.Meanwhile, Tripathi inaugurated a 4-bed ICU room established at Prithivi Hospital in Parasi. The ICU facility, set up by the Rotary Club of Nawalparasi, is believed to provide healthcare to the critically infected COVID-19 patients. (RSS)