Kathmandu, May 20 -- Nepal has a history with vaccination that goes back to 1816, after King Girvana Yuddha Bikram Shah died from exposure to smallpox. Desperate for help, Nepal's ruling class lobbied the East India Company for vaccine doses, something it happily complied with as the British saw an opportunity to increase influence in the region.

In the 200 years that have passed since, Nepal's youth and global diaspora have taken matters into their own hands. They have registered a desperate plea for vaccine aid from the US government, which has recently announced plans to share up to 80 million Covid-19 vaccines with countries across the world.

This is Nepal's only opportunity for rapid and cost-free aid that can end the deadly waves ...