President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has inaugurated the Maldives' Covid-19 vaccination programme, with immunization efforts being conducted simultaneously in capital Male' City, Addu City and Kulhudhuffushi in Haa Dhaalu atoll.
Leaders of the three branches of government in the Maldives were also present at the Immunization Center in Male' City, and received the first dose of vaccine shots including the president, former President and incumbent Speaker Mohamed Nasheed and Chief Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan. Other senior government officials received the vaccine shot on Monday morning as well, including Health Minister Ahmed Naseem, Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, Defence Minister Mariya Didi and Gender Minister Aishath Mohamed Didi.
While the Covishield vaccine was provided by India as grant assistance earlier this month, the country's High Commissioner to Maldives, Sunjay Sudhir received the vaccine shot at Social Center as well.
Speaking to inaugurate the nation's first Covid-19 Vaccination Program, President Solih acknowledged the many difficulties Maldivians had endured over the past year, and expressed hopes that all would do their civic duty in overcoming this pandemic by receiving the vaccine if they could.
President Solih reaffirmed that the government's plan was to provide free Covid-19 vaccines to all those living in the Maldives free of cost, and said that the plan was to conclude the nation-wide vaccination program within the next six months as that goal was reached.