PHNOM PENH - Cambodia launched a COVID-19 vaccination campaign on Wednesday here in four hospitals after receiving a donation of Sinopharm vaccines from China on Sunday.

Hun Manet, the eldest son of Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, got the first dose of the jab at the Calmette Hospital in the capital Phnom Penh as the drive started at 8:00 am local time.

Hun Sen said on his official Facebook page, "Finally Cambodia began officially the vaccination program for its people. This is the result of fruitful cooperation between Cambodia and China, the iron-clad friends."

Ministry of Health secretary of state and spokeswoman Or Vandine said health authorities will initially vaccinate priority groups including frontline health workers, government officials, armed forces, and journalists, among others, at four hospitals in Phnom Penh.

"This vaccine is safe and highly effective, and I'd like to encourage people to receive it because it will protect us, our family and the community from COVID-19," she told reporters after receiving the shot of the vaccine.

The spokeswoman added that each individual has to be given two doses of the vaccine around 14 to 28 days apart.

"I'd like to express my profound thanks to China for providing the humanitarian aid of COVID-19 to Cambodia. This vaccine has greatly contributed to protecting Cambodian people and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our community," she added.

The spokeswoman said that after getting the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the recipients would be observed for 30 minutes in the hospital.

The Southeast Asian nation has done well in containing the spread of COVID-19. The kingdom has so far registered a total of 478 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with zero deaths and 457 recoveries, according to the Ministry of Health.