Sindh Information and Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has said that the COVID-19 vaccination drive in the province will start from February 3.

The minister made the announcement in the press conference at the Sindh Assembly. He said he said that the federal government has received about 500,000 vaccine doses from China, out of which Sindh has received 82,359 doses.

The minister said that in the first phase of the vaccination drive, front line healthcare workers will be inoculated.

"The Sindh health department has allocated Rs1.5 billion for COVID-19 vaccine," he told media.

Furthermore, he said that the chief minister of Sindh has also earmarked a separate budget for the purpose.

Shah said that the chief minister has also written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding the procurement of the vaccine.

In the beginning, vaccines will be distributed in 10 districts of the province.

"We want to vaccinate the people of Sindh free of charge," the minister said.