The Maldives’ Health Ministry has said that they received a new shipment of Covishield from an “anonymous generous well-wisher”, enabling the country to resume its vaccination drive.  The ministry, however, refused to disclose the identity of the “well-wisher” who donated it. 

The government received a shipment of the Covishield vaccine last Saturday, and that it was a donation from 'a well-wisher', Thasleema Usman, the Health Ministry’s Commissioner for Quality Assurance, was quoted as saying by Sun news. 

The archipelago in May had suspended mass Covishield vaccinations as all the vaccine stock exhausted.  However, the last Sunday, the government started booking appointments for the second dose of the vaccine. 

The official didn’t disclose the quantity of the vaccine they received on Saturday. She however said the government has enough stock to resume vaccination. We received it in sufficient quantity, she added. 

Earlier, India donated vaccines to the Maldives which started its vaccination drive in February. However, when the deadly second wave hit India in May, it stopped the export of vaccines to prioritize domestic needs. 

(SAM)