Kathmandu, June 22: Nepal is experiencing a nationwide shortage of Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) due to the government’s failure to advance the procurement process in time.
A combination of global price increases, rate adjustment issues, and ongoing tensions in Middle East has prevented the government from completing the tender process, leaving hospitals and health centers across the country without adequate vaccine supplies. Anti-rabies vaccine is administered after bites from dogs, monkeys, and other animals, and doctors stress that it must be given as soon as possible after an animal bite.
Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, Senior Health Administrator and Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Food Safety, said that rising market prices made it impossible to procure vaccines at the old rates, and that the need to adjust pricing before re-tendering caused significant delays. He noted that a tender for approximately 500,000 vials of ARV has reached its final stage, though supply has not yet begun.
Dr. Adhikari claimed the government has been managing the shortage through emergency coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO), securing immediate vaccine supplies for hospitals. He said that 4,500 vials arrived on Sunday alone — enough to cover roughly one month’s supply for Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, which sees the highest number of ARV patients in the country. He added that the agreement process for remaining supplies is expected to be finalized by Ashadh 16 (June 30), after which regular supply will resume. A procurement process for over 17,000 units of immunoglobulin is also underway.
Anti-snake venom also in short supply
Nepal is simultaneously facing a shortage of anti-snake venom (ASV) — a life-saving medicine — precisely during the monsoon season when snakebite incidents peak. The shortage is affecting communities across the Terai region and beyond, though the government maintains there is no crisis.
Dr. Adhikari stated that around 13,200 vials of anti-snake venom are in the supply pipeline following a completed tender and supplier agreements. He insisted that government stores are not completely empty and that both ARV and ASV remain available at various treatment centers.
The government has also announced steps to reform the public procurement law to simplify the purchasing process for essential medicines, using recommendations made by former Health Minister Pradeep Paudel as a basis. Officials say these legal amendments will allow faster emergency procurement in the future, preventing similar shortages.
Many people — particularly in the Terai-Madhesh districts — die from snakebites every year during the monsoon season. The government says it is working to ensure no vaccine shortage occurs in the upcoming fiscal year. #nepal
