Bahraini Prince who landed in Nepal with 2,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses had 'prior approval'

After reports claimed that Bahraini prince Sheikh Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa brought 2,000 coronavirus vaccine doses in Nepal without any prior approval, Nepalese Embassy in Bahrain has reportedly apologised for the 'confusion'. Contrary to reports that seem to have sprung from a confusion, Bahraini team arriving in Nepal had received full approval to enter the country with a shipment of 2,000 vaccine doses. Several reports on March 17 had claimed that Nepal is probing the Bahraini prince over the incident.

The National Communication Centre, Kingdom of Bahrain clarified that "this approval was received before flying to Nepal from the Nepalese Ambassador to Bahrain." Further, it said that the incident occurred due to "confusion between the Nepalese Department of Drug Administration and the Nepalese Ministry of Health." 

A team led by Shaikh Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa, which climbed 8,156-metre Manaslu in the Gorkha district last year,  arrived in Kathmandu on Monday. However, the confusion ensued after Nepal’s drug regulatory authorities said that they were unaware of the vaccine import from another country. Meanwhile, the department of drug administration of Nepal launched an investigation into the imported Oxford manufactured AstraZeneca jabs. 

Nepal appointed drug inspectors

Director general of the Department of Drug Administration, Bharat Bhattarai, told the Washington Post that a team of drug inspectors was deployed to probe into the matter as the vials were brought into the country without any approval. He added that the import from Bahrain would be deemed as illegal, although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which seems to be aware of the situation, is coordinating with the Ministry of Health and Population to investigate the matter.

Currently, Bahrain Prince's team which included Bahrain Royal Guard came for an expedition last year in October.  His team climbed 8,163-meter Mount Manaslu and the 6,119-meter Lobuche. His team departed from Manama, Baharain to Kathmandu to climb Mt Everest, and included  13 Bahrainis and three British citizens, according to the Embassy of Nepal in Bahrain. 

(Image Credit: Twitter/@ChhangDawa)