The government has started administering Johnson & Johnson vaccines from various hospitals in Kathmandu to Nepalis travelling to foreign countries for jobs, education or other purposes.

People traveling abroad can get vaccinated at the Military Hospital in Chhauni, Nepal Police Hospital in Maharajgunj, Armed Police Hospital in Balambu, and Teku Hospital.

Officials at the Ministry of Health and Population said the government has allocated 500,000 vaccines for the purpose.

Earlier, foreign employment entrepreneurs and stakeholders had asked Minister of Labor, Employment, and Social Security Krishna Kumar Shrestha to administer Johnson & Johnson jabs to Nepali migrant workers as it is a single dose vaccine.

Minister Shrestha had then written a letter to Minister for Health and Population Birodh Khatiwada requesting him to make necessary arrangements for the vaccines for migrant workers. Minister Shrestha had also formally asked the Health Ministry to facilitate migrant workers with the single dose vaccine in a bid to ease their transportation.

Now, Nepalis can leave the country within a few days after being fully vaccinated. Earlier, many Nepalis had been forced to overstay in the country while waiting to be inoculated with the two doses of other vaccines.