Kabul, Feb 23 (IANS): Afghanistan officially launched its coronavirus vaccination program on Tuesday at an event held at the Presidential Palace. President Ashraf Ghani participated, along with officials from the Health Ministry and elsewhere.

In this first round, Afghan security force members, journalists and doctors received the vaccine, TOLO news reported.

The first stage of the vaccination in Afghanistan will start with 500,000 doses, President Ghani said at the event, adding that "efforts are underway to cover 40 per cent of the population in the second round."

Recently, Afghanistan received 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine from India. The vaccines were produced by the Serum Institute of India.

Afghanistan has had 55,646 reported Covid-19 cases and 2,435 deaths from the disease, according to the health ministry.

Previously, the Afghan health officials said that the government wants to vaccinate 20 per cent of the country's population within the next six months, and donor countries and organisations have pledged $112 million.

So far, Covid vaccines have been implemented in at least 50 countries.