Male, Dec 11 (IANS): Maldives' Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) has said that the country will begin a Covid-19 vaccination program early next year, local media reported on Friday.

HEOC spokesperson Nazla Rafeeq said 20 per cent of the island nation population will receive free vaccinations as part of the COVAX program, reports Xinhua news agency.

Discussions will be held with other countries to obtain vaccines for the remainder of the population.

"We can estimate that vaccines could be administered within the first quarter of 2021," Rafeeq said.

According to the spokesperson, 17 percent of the COVAX allocation will be prioritised for vaccinating frontline workers, people over the age of 50, and other high-risk individuals.

The Maldives government is currently working to finalise logistics to transport the vaccine to remote islands and regions in the country.

The country currently has 13,308 confirmed Covid-19 casesand 47 deaths.