Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched the much-awaited COVID-19 vaccination rollout at a ceremony in Kurmitola General Hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

She inaugurated the drive, which will formally begin on February 7, through videoconferencing from her official residence Ganobhaban around 4:00pm.

After launching the vaccination, the prime minister virtually witnessed the administration of vaccine to five people.

The vaccination programme, covering the entire country, will add another feather to government’s achievements as it has successfully procured the vaccine in time for the country’s people.

Runu Veronica Costa, a senior staff nurse of Kurmitola General Hospital, first received the vaccine at the inaugural function.

Around 25 front line fighters, including healthcare providers, also took the vaccine at the hospital today.

Three physicians, including Dr Ahmed Lutfar Mobin of the Medicine department, and two other senior staff nurses -- Munni Khatun and Rina Sarkar -- were among others as vaccine receivers on the first day.

Visiting the arrangement for the inauguration ceremony at the hospital earlier today, the health minister said a dry run of the Covid-19 vaccination was held there on Tuesday. “The arrangement is good here,” he said.

He also said the government will start the nationwide vaccination programme on February 7.

Meanwhile, the online registration for the Covid-19 vaccination has been launched in the country after the inauguration of the nationwide inoculation programme today.

A total of 7,343 centres will be set up all over the country, including 324 in the capital, to run the vaccination drive.

Bangladesh already received huge number of vaccines from India paving the way for staring vaccination programme. More vaccines will arrive from India in phases covering more people under the scheme.