Kyrgyzstan kicks off inoculation campaign against COVID-19 with Chinese vaccines

Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Health and Social Development Alymkadyr Beishenaliev receives a shot of Chinese COVID-19 vaccine in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, March 29, 2021. The first stage of a COVID-19 vaccination campaign using Chinese vaccines kicked off in Kyrgyzstan on Monday. Minister of Health and Social Development of the country Alymkadyr Beishenaliev and his deputies were the first who received the vaccination. (Photo by Roman/Xinhua)

BISHKEK, March 29 (Xinhua) -- The first stage of a COVID-19 vaccination campaign using Chinese vaccines kicked off in Kyrgyzstan on Monday.

Minister of Health and Social Development of the country Alymkadyr Beishenaliev and his deputies were the first who received the vaccination.

Director of the Republican Center for Immunoprophylaxis of Kyrgyzstan Gulbara Ishenapisova told a briefing that the vaccination needs two jabs and is free of charge.

"Doctors of intensive care units, infectious diseases hospitals, ambulances working in the red zone, as well as teachers, border guards, customs officers, law enforcement and security officials will be vaccinated at the first stage," she added.

Nine vaccination centers have been deployed in Bishkek, Osh cities and Chui Oblast.

A batch of China's vaccines were delivered to Kyrgyzstan earlier this month. Prime Minister Ulukbek Maripov thanked the Chinese government for helping his country, stressing that China, having overcome its own difficulties with the virus, became one of the first countries to provide Kyrgyzstan with COVID-19 vaccines.

Maripov said that the vaccines from China have received wide recognition in the international community, and will greatly help the country in its pandemic fight.