Bangladesh starts nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive

DHAKA: Bangladesh's COVID-19 vaccination programme began on Sunday across the country with a target to inoculate 3.5 million people in the first phase.

Bangladesh had received the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII) under grants assistance on January 21.

Health Minister ZahidMaleque has received his first shot of the coronavirus vaccine after the inauguration of the vaccination drive through video conferencing from the health directorate of Bangladesh.

Maleque was administered the jab at at Sheikh RusselGastroliver Institute and Hospital in the capital's Mohakhali area around 11.30 a.m.

Deputy Minister MohibulHasanChowdhuryNowfel became thee first person in the Chittagong Divisionto be vaccinated after the inauguration of the inoculation campaign at the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Agriculture Minister AbdurRazzaque, Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman and Public Administration Minister FarhadHossain have also received their shots.

Hospital sources said some 162 people, including ministers, lawmakers and physicians, will be vaccinated in five booths at the hospital.

CMCH Director Brigadier General S M HumayunKabir, Chattogram City Corporation chief medical officer Doctor SelimAkhter, Divisional Health Director Doctor HasanShahriarKabir, Civil Surgeon Doctor Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, CEO of Chattogram Field Hospital BidyutBarua and Chattogram range DIG Anwar Hossain received vaccine on Sunday morning. They were kept in observation unit after taking vaccine. Some 2,400 teams are working in 1,005 hospitals under the vaccination programme. (IANS)

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