Deal signed with WHO for 10cr covid-19 vaccines: Health Minister
The minister came up with the remarks while attending a programme marking the national mourning day in Manikganj
Bangladesh has signed a fresh agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) for 10 crore doses of Coronavirus vaccine, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday.
The minister came up with the remarks while attending a programme marking the national mourning day in Sadar upazila of Manikganj.
"The government will ensure vaccines for every citizen, so with the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a new agreement has been signed with WHO for more vaccines,'' he said.
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Educational institutes will reopen after inoculation of all students as the Prime Minister has been insisting on reopening them, the minister stated.
On 23 August, the health minister said that the government needs 3.16 crore Covid jabs to clear out the piled up online registrations for the first shot, plus to administer the second dose to people who already have had the first one.
But Bangladesh now has only 84.06 lakh doses, Zahid Maleque said citing that the country is unlikely to go for any mass immunisation drive in upcoming months. He said the on-spot vaccine registration will not be available too.
Around 1.66 crore citizens are on the second shot waiting list, while 1.5 crore people after online registration are yet to get the first shot.
The regular vaccination will only continue with prior online registration.
Currently, Bangladesh is conducting the regular vaccination with Chinese shots received under a bulk-buy deal. Besides, the country is also using shots received under the Covax facility – a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.
Zahid Maleque said 60 lakh Pfizer shots will arrive in Dhaka by September.
