KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has directed the bodies concerned not to leave any stone unturned to achieve the government goal of providing vaccines against COVID-19 to all citizens.

During the first meeting of COVID-19 Crisis Management Coordination Center in Kathmandu Thursday, Prime Minister Deuba asked all the bodies concerned to provide free vaccines to all citizens on time either through the assistance of donors or procurement.

As per the details presented by the Ministry of Health and Population in the meeting, 34 per cent of the total population has got first dose of vaccine while only 22 percent population have received both dose of vaccine so far, said Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Maheshwor Neupane.

The government’s target of vaccinating the one-third population by mid-October has been achieved in terms of the first dose inoculation. The government has set a target to administer vaccine against coronavirus to all citizens by the mid-April, 2022.

Sher Bahadur Deuba led-government had changed COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) into COVID-19 Crisis Management Coordination Center by issuing an ordinance after the ordinance issued in the past for the prevention and control of COVID-19 became inactive.

On the occasion, the Centre had presented the details of its progress made so far while Health Ministry also presented the national and international situation of COVID-19 infection and vaccine. The meeting also decided to pass Human Resources Management and Organizational Structure of the Center.

The government had formed the center under leadership of former Lieutenant General Balananda Sharma.