The COVID-19 vaccination drive kicked off in Sri Lanka on Friday, a day after India's gift of 5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine reached the island nation.
The drive began at the Army Hospital in Narahenpita as frontline workers fighting COVID-19 were vaccinated with the 'Made in India' Covishield vaccine.
The vaccination drive was formally launched at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases with the participation of State Minister of Primary Health Services, Pandemics and COVID Prevention, Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle, and India High Commissioner Gopal Baglay.
The first vaccine was given to Dr Ananda Wijewickrema, a specialist at the hospital. The hospital staff was then vaccinated, Colombo Page reported.