WHO Director-General Tedros appreciates Nepal’s response against COVID-19

Kathmandu: Visiting Director General of World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has appreciated the Nepal government’s national campaign against COVID-19, saying that it was effective management.

He praised Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for such effective works that most of the eligible people were vaccinated against coronavirus with smooth management. During the courtesy call he paid on PM Deuba today, visiting Director General Dr Tedros viewed Nepal government’s strategy for control and prevention of COVID-19 was effective, according to PM’s press coordinator, Govinda Pariyar.

On the occasion, Dr Tedros also extended thanks to Nepal government for launching the vaccination against typhoid among children- the first in South Asia. Another compliment made by him was Nepal’s progress on various health indicators, including child and maternal mortality over a short span of time. In response, PM Deuba informed that the government had introduced various programmes to make health services more effective. He also extended gratitude to the WHO for its assistance to Nepal in the control of coronavirus and others. PM Deuba expressed the view that Nepal government was ready for multilateral cooperation in the health sectors including capacity building of health workers.

Earlier today, WHO Chief Dr Tedros also paid a courtesy call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari. During the meeting held at the Office of the President- Shital Niwas- President Bhandari extended thankfulness to the visiting WHO Director General for evenly distributing vaccines against COVID-19 to all countries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Health Organization’s leader and his delegation arrived Nepal on Thursday on a three-day official visit to Nepal at the invitation of Minister for Health and Population Birodh Khatiwada. According to President Bhandari’s press advisor Tika Dhakal, WHO Director General Dr Tedros briefed Bhandari about contribution in health sector and commended Nepal’s success in vaccinating as many as people against COVID-19.

Expressing his interest in the health policy of Nepal, the visiting top leader of the United Nations Health Agency appraised the President of WHO’s assistance to Nepal, and informed Dhakal.

The WHO high official has already held meetings with the National Assembly Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timalsina, Health Minister Khatiwada, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Narayan Khadka on Thursday. His delegation includes Dr. Poonam Khetrapal, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, and other high-ranking officials of the WHO.