50 lakh doses of Covid vaccine, purchased from India’s Serum Institute, will reach Dhaka tomorrow.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque made the disclosure in a briefing at the Secretariat today.
The minister added that all the preparation regarding the purchased vaccines have already been taken.
The vaccines will be stored initially at the Beximco warehouse in Gazipur’s Tongi and will be handed over to the government by 27 January, Rizvi Ul Kabir, marketing director of Beximco Pharmaceuticals confirmed the matter Covid Vaccine to The Business Standard on Sunday Evening.
Rizvi Ul Kabir further said that a flight carrying the vaccine will arrive Bangladesh at 11.30am on Monday. It will be transported to the Tongi warehouse from airport on freezer vans maintaining cold chains.
“We will hand over the vaccines to the government on the night of 26 January or next morning.”
Rizvi said, “There are some legal bindings. Vaccine samples from each batch have to be submitted to the National Drug Testing Lab for testing. It takes around 24 to 48 hours to complete a test.”
“We will apply for the test on Monday and hope to get the test report by the afternoon or evening on 26 January. Finally we will supply the vaccines to the government designated cold storage once the report is received,” he added.
Earlier, on 21 January, the consignment of 20 lakh doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, gifted by India, arrived home.
Bangladesh has planned to start countrywide vaccination from 8 February after a week’s trial run.
A nurse will receive Covid vaccine first in Bangladesh, Health Secretary Abdul Mannan said recently. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will virtually inaugurate the vaccination programme.
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