Earlier this year, people were beginning to recover from the effects of the first wave in 2020 which resulted in 120 days of nationwide lockdown in Nepal.  Vaccination began, covering 2% of the population.  For a few months, new daily cases were relatively low.  Then, in mid-April 2021, Nepal entered the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. This wave has been much more severe, more infectious, affecting more younger people, causing more serious illness and death.

Rapidly increasing cases with sudden high demand for oxygen, hospital beds, ICU and ventilators put Nepal’s fragile health system under pressure.  Due to shortage of medical supplies, limited staff, hospitals and rural health system ill-equipped to cope with a major pandemic, the second wave of COVID-19 has had a devastating impact in Nepal. 

Nepal is experiencing the highest COVID-19 infection rate in the world and almost all Nepal’s districts are again under full lockdown to contain the spread of infection. So far, the confirmed nationwide death toll has reached 7,898 (Source- MoHP: 6 June 2021).

This second wave of pandemic and repeated lockdown has increased the risk of extreme poverty for the most vulnerable people who are already living in difficult conditions and struggling to recover from the impact of the first wave.  93% of COVID-19 positive cases are being cared for at home, often in overcrowded conditions and the risk of transmission is high.

In this fight with COVID-19, we are coming alongside the most vulnerable people to sustain them with essential food supplies, health advice, counselling, safety material packages and other urgent needs. In addition, we are supporting our local government with essential medical supplies.  

We would like to appeal to our supporters around the world to join us in this challenge to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people affected by this crisis.