He who can see three days ahead will be rich for three thousand years goes a popular Japanese saying.
But Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli who always repeats the slogan of 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali' has failed to see see even three days ahead and made a volte-face saying COVID-19 vaccines will be provided to all Nepalis by the end of 2021 just 72 hours after pledging to do so within three months.
"We will inoculate all Nepalis within three months," PM Oli had assured addressing the inauguration of the national vaccination campaign in Kathmandu on Wednesday administering the vaccines India provided to Nepal in grant.
The promise to vaccinate all Nepalis within three months with no deal signed until now to import even a single dose apart from that received in grant from India and when even the European Union and America to a lesser extent are struggling to acquire sufficient doses of vaccines was widely condemned as yet another false promise of Oli.
But Oli has made a volte-face in just 72 hours and said all Nepalis can be inoculated only by the end of 2021 while addressing a program of his CPN faction in Chitwan on Saturday. "I have said that we will finish inoculation of those who work at the forefront facing several difficulties within three months and will chase away COVID-19 from Nepal inoculating all Nepalis by the end of 2021," Oli said. "We are confident that the rest of the world will also chase it away."
Health Minister Hridayesh Tripathi had also toed Oli's line after Oli made what now has turned out to be a false promise on Wednesday. "There are some grounds but cannot be revealed outside," Tripathi had told Setopati when asked what are the grounds to claim that all Nepalis will be inoculated within three months.
But Oli failed to hold firm on his promise for more than three days.
