The Bhutan Watch requested the US to support Bhutan with COVID vaccines

The Bhutan Watch has requested the President and Secretary of State of the US to consider their decision not to provide COVID-19 vaccines doses to Bhutan. 

In a letter sent to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, The Bhutan Watch said Bhutan is in need of the international support in the critical hours of addressing the pandemic. 

The adult Bhutanese people received the first dose of the vaccine, and their second dose is due before the end of June 2021. With the pandemic taking a toll in India, the Indian government has withheld the supply of vaccines to Bhutan. Because of the porous Bhutan-India border, the virus has now quickly spread in Bhutan and the trend of infection is increasing. 

Without the second dose, the Bhutanese people are at risk of being swamped by the pandemic. And Bhutan does not have other alternative outsourcing for vaccines.

While appreciating US leadership in helping developing nations in Asia fight against the COVID pandemic, The Bhutan Watch expressed sadness for excluding Bhutan from the list of countries to receive COVID vaccines from the US. The US has recently announced to provide 500 million vaccines to developing Asian countries in the next year.

The Bhutan Watch requested a correction in the list of countries to receive the support and include Bhutan in the list. The Bhutan government had requested US for vaccines support a couple of months ago. 

Bhutan currently experiencing an acceleration in COVID but lack any vaccines. The victims are facing difficulties in receiving hospital treatments as the health sector is almost in crisis. Many from remote villages were forced to stay sick at home, unable to visit any health centres that are not close by.