The University Clinical Centre in the Bosnian Serb entity capital of Banja Luka on Friday started vaccinating citizens against Covid with the Russia's Sputnik V vaccine.

The first person to receive the vaccine was hospital director Vlado Djajic, followed by about 80 staff at the hospital. The vaccination was broadcast live on the entity’s public television service.

Djajic and the hospital staff were vaccinated from the first shipment of 2,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine which arrived from Russia about ten days ago and which underwent testing in a government laboratory. After the Bosnia’s medicines agency approved the vaccine, the remaining doses were used to begin vaccinations of the general public.

Bosnia has ordered 1.23 million doses of western vaccines via the United Nations’ COVAX program, and an additional 900,000 in cooperation with the European Union. However, none of these vaccines have been delivered yet.

The first contingent of the Sputnik V vaccine was delivered to Bosnia based on a special agreement between the Serb entity authorities and the Russian producers. A total of 400,000 doses have been ordered, which will be sufficient to inoculate 200,000 citizens.

Authorities in the Bosniak-Croat Federation entity are still waiting for vaccines from Western producers. The first shipment of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine is expected to be delivered next week.