August 2021
Dear Constituent,
Thank you for contacting me about the COVID-19 situation in Nepal.
I am sorry to read of the circumstances you describe, and I of course fully understand your concern for this issue. Nepal is a spectacular country with whom the UK shares a many longstanding ties.
The UK has worked closely with the Government of Nepal and has provided a range of support including 260 ventilators and 2,000 pieces of personal protective equipment, along with health experts, to help the country’s fight against COVID-19.
Like you mention, Nepal is also receiving COVID-19 vaccines via the COVAX facility, to which the UK is one of the largest donors. Nepal has been allocated close to approximately 1.9 million vaccines through this facility, with, I believe, hundreds of thousands of doses having already been delivered. The UK is keen to assist others in any way it can, including by sharing the majority of our surplus vaccine doses with COVAX. Doing so in this way will ensure that vaccines go to where they are most needed and effective, such as countries like Nepal.
Vaccines aside, Nepal, as one of the world's poorest countries, is one of the main recipients of UK foreign aid: in 2021 I believe it will have the eleventh highest development project budget, a significant portion of which is spent on health.
Only recently, for instance, UK aid helped to install a new duplex oxygen plant in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, with the capacity to generate 160 large cylinders of oxygen a day. This is just one example of how the UK is helping the people of Nepal to tackle the pandemic.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me and for sharing your thoughts and concerns. Please be assured I will continue to monitor the situation carefully and will look to raise the points you have made with my ministerial colleagues whenever appropriate.
With best wishes.
Kind regards,
Jonathan Lord MP
Member of Parliament for Woking