Director at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital (STIDH), Teku, Dr Sagar Rajbhandari was the first person to receive the vaccine through the government’s campaign against COVID-19, on Wednesday.
The government launched the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 yesterday.
Likewise, the chief consultant of STIDH, Dr Anup Bastola was administered the second vaccination. “There are enough vials of vaccines to administer to the targeted group of people even if some get damaged,” Bastola told NepalNews. All the workers at the hospital will be vaccinated, he said and added that the second dose of the vaccine will be provided after four weeks of the first dose.
Likewise, Lieutenant General Dr Bhuvan Raj Kunwar was the first Nepali Army personnel to receive the vaccine against the respiratory contagion.
Likewise, Medical Superintendent of Koshi Hospital, Dr Chuman Lal Das was the first person to be vaccinated in Province 1, Director at the state health directorate, Dr Gunaraj Awasthi in Sudurpaschim; COVID-19 focal person Dr Navaraj KC in Karnali; and Superintendent at Provincial Hospital, Dr Rajendra Khanal in Lumbini.
The vaccination drive started from 62 hospitals in the seven provinces, 17 hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley, and more than 120 vaccination centres throughout the country.
Director at the Child Health and Vaccination Section of the Department of Health Services in Teku, Dr Jhalak Sharma Gautam said the vaccines will be supplied to the provincial and district hospitals.
Recently, the Government of India has provided one million doses of the vaccines as a grant assistance. The vaccine ‘covishield’ manufactured by Serum Institute of India also known as SARS-CoV-2 AZD 1222 or Oxford/AstraZeneca Vaccine.
The vaccine brought in the first phase will be administered to five lakh people in two doses.
Health workers, hospital staff and ambulance drivers among others working in the mortuary department of various hospitals are on the government’s priority list for vaccination.
Moreover, the government has committed to providing the vaccine to all the citizens free of cost within three months.
