The much-awaited Covid-19 inoculation drive has begun in Jessore along with the rest of the country.
Jessore 3 MP Kazi Nabil Ahmed formally inaugurated the vaccination drive at Jessore General Hospital by taking the first shot of the vaccine at 11:45am on Sunday.
Later, Jessore Awami League President Shahidul Islam Milon, District Council Chairman Saifuzzaman Pikul, Deputy Commissioner Md Tamizul Islam Khan, Civil Surgeon Dr Sheikh Abu Shaheen, hospital Caretaker Dilip Kumar Roy, doctors, public representatives, and journalists received the vaccine.
To allay the fears of the general public about the vaccine, MP Kazi Nabil Ahmed announced on Saturday that he would take the vaccine on the first day of the vaccination drive, reports Bangla Tribune.
Meanwhile, a rally was held at the Jessore General Hospital campus to mark the inauguration of Covid-19 inoculation drive. Kazi Nabil attended the event as the chief guest.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already managed 5 million vaccines. Within the next one year, 120 million people in the country will be vaccinated, he said at the rally.
Also read - Bangladesh kicks off nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive
Till Saturday, 5,471 people had registered for the vaccine in Jessore, said Civil Surgeon Dr Sheikh Abu Shaheen.
A total of 842 people will be vaccinated in 12 health centres including five in Jessore Sadar on Sunday, he added.
Bangladesh is using the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine which has been manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. The government has purchased 30 million doses of the vaccine from the Serum Institute of India.
It has already received a total of seven million doses of the vaccine, including two million free doses from the Indian government.
Besides, the country is expected to receive 12.5 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in the first half of 2021 under Covax.