The UAE Ministry of Interior vaccinated 179 inmates against coronavirus. The announcement was made by the ministry on Thursday.

The vaccine was offered through recently set up centre within the Federal Punitive and Correctional Establishments. Through this the inmates who were willing to receive vaccine were inoculated for free. In a tweet by ministry it was relayed that on first day 179 inmates have received the Covid-19 vaccine.

Colonel Khalid Al Suwaidi, Director of the Federal Penal and Correctional Establishment in Abu Dhabi, said that the initiative was launched under leadership and directives of Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. In a video released on Twitter by ministry, Col Al Suwaidi said, ‘The Ministry launched the initiative for inmates willing to take the vaccine after explaining the mechanism of doses and answer the inmates’ questions by specialized officials.”

Inmates who had received the vaccine expressed their appreciation in the video for allowing them to be part of national vaccination programme. One of the inmates said in the video, “I would like to thank the Ministry of the Interior and UAE government to give us the opportunity to get the vaccine. We came voluntarily to take the vaccine.”