China is providing 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Nepal.

During a telephone conversation between Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday evening, China made a commitment that it would provide 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine as a grant.

China also said that it would accord priority to Nepal in vaccine cooperation, according to the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Minister Gyawali thanked the Chinese government for the support of Covid-19 vaccines, the statement added.

Earlier this week on Sunday the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu had announced that it would provide 300,000 vaccines to Nepal. But Nepali authorities have not given approval to any vaccine other than Covishield vaccine developed by University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, the Swedish-British pharmaceutical giant.

Last month India provided as grant one million vaccines with which frontline health workers and other personnel like cleaners and ambulance drivers are being vaccinated across the country.

Following the Chinese embassy announcement on Sunday, the Department of Drug Administration had said that it has asked for the necessary documents from the producer of the Chinese vaccine before it gives approval.