Yemen launches first round of COVID-19 vaccination campaign

Yemen launches first round of COVID-19 vaccination campaign

RIYADH: Yemen launched the first round of its COVID-19 inoculation campaign on Tuesday in the temporary capital, Aden. The campaign is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief). Yemeni Minister of Public Health and Population Qasim Buhaibeh, Minister of Civil Service and Insurance Abdul Nasser Al-Wali, Governor of Aden Ahmed Hamed Lamlas, Yemen's representative for UNICEF Philippe Duamelle, and director of the WHO office in Aden Noha Mahmoud all received the vaccine in a show of support, Saba News Agency reported. Yemen received 360, 000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 31, part of a consignment from COVAX expected to total 1. 9 million doses this year. Buhaibeh said this was the first step toward reaching the ministry's goal of administering 12 million vaccines by the end of the year, urging doctors, the elderly and those with chronic diseases to register to receive the jab. Duamelle said frontline workers, the elderly and those with certain health problems would be prioritized. "The launch of the campaign against the coronavirus is an important day in Yemen's history," he said, adding that the health minister and other ministers have taken the