Maldives' Health Ministry has said the government has replenished its stock of the COVISHIELD vaccine and will resume administering the second dose of the vaccine to those on the waitlist.
The Maldives ran out of its stock of the vaccine manufactured in India on May 4 after the neighboring country halted exporting the vaccine following a devastating surge in infections in the country. Since then, over 100,000 people who received the first dose of the vaccine have been waiting for the second dose.
The Health Ministry on Saturday said a new stock of the vaccine had arrived in the country, although the ministry did not disclose the exact number of doses received. The ministry assured that all waiting for the second dose will now be able to get the vaccine, and the vaccine program will not face further interruption.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has announced that vaccine centers will administer the second dose of the COVISHIELD vaccine to those awaiting the vaccine on an appointment basis. Appointments will be scheduled in the order that the first dose was administered. The agency urged the public to attend the designated vaccine centers at the specified time to receive the vaccine.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (L) with Health Minister Ahmed Naseem
