Kathmandu, Oct 18: The coverage of the COVID-19 inoculation campaign has exceeded its target. The government had set a goal of vaccinating one-third of the target group by the end of Asoj (mid-October).    

The Ministry of Health and Population targeted covering 33 per cent of the target group in the vaccination campaign by October 17 and its data suggests that the achievement is more than the target.    

It may be noted that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had pledged to implement the vaccination drive against COVID-19 with top priority shortly after his assumption to the post on July 13.    

According to the official data, 42.2 per cent of the target group has so far received the first dose while 33.5 per cent are fully vaccinated. The government had targeted to vaccinate 21,756,763 population above 18 years.    

As said by Child Health and Immunization Section, Department of Health Services, to date 18,858,710 doses of vaccines have arrived home.

Section Chief Sagar Dahal said additional 24,158,780 doses of vaccines will be achieved through direct procurement and the COVAX-facility.

Preparations are underway to get 100,620 doses of vaccines for people in the 12-18 age group till the end of coming October.    

During the same period, the government is to receive 1,600,000 doses of Vero Cell COVID-19 vaccines from China.