Sri Lankan government aimed to vaccinate around 65 percent of the targeted population by the yearend, Daily Mirror reported. The country started its COVID-19 vaccination drive on Friday.

Lalith Weerathunga, a senior presidential advisor, said on Saturday that the government hoped to vaccinate 65 percent of the targeted population. He was speaking at a program in Colombo to kick start the vaccination drive.

“This is only the beginning. I am sure a day will come where we can say our population is fully vaccinated and that we have won this war against the unseen enemy,” Weerathunga was quoted as saying by Daily Mirror.

Earlier this week, the country received 500,000 doses of Covishield, manufactured by Serum Institute, from the Indian government as the grant assistance. Speaking at the Friday event, Weerathunga also thanked India for vaccines. India earlier extended its support for the war on terror and is now supporting the war against the Coronavirus, he added.

He said the government would strictly follow the priority list devised by health officials. There is no favoritism, he claimed.

The Sri Lankan government is also in touch with other vaccine suppliers. A top official said the government was recommended not to rely on a single supplier as it would impact the pace of the vaccination drive due to the global high demand for the vaccine.

Dr. Susi Perera, the deputy director-general of public health services, said it is good that the government is engaged with many other suppliers. China also offered to donate 300,000 Sinopharm vaccines to Sri Lanka.

The report in Daily Mirror said the regulatory approval for the Chinese vaccines was being cleared. Officials also said they were making provisions for Pfizer vaccines, and planned to use the Blood bank cold chains for the same.