COVAX
Bangladesh receives 1st consignment of 2.5 million Moderna vaccine doses
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday night received the first consignment of 2.5 million doses of Moderna vaccine under the COVAX framework.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Secretary of Health Services Division Lokman Hossain Miah, and other high officials of the Bangladesh government were also present.
The second consignment will reach Dhaka on Saturday morning.
Also read: Bangladesh to receive 45 lakh vaccine doses from COVAX, China within 2 days: Minister
These 2.5 million vaccine doses are part of the US government's recent allocation of 25 million vaccine doses for countries in Asia through COVAX.
Bangladesh to receive 45 lakh vaccine doses from COVAX, China within 2 days: Minister
Bangladesh will receive 45 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine from COVAX facility and China within the next couple of days.
Twenty-five lakh doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine under COVAX facility will arrive in Dhaka on Friday and Saturday in two separate consignments.
On the other hand, Bangladesh will receive two consignments of commercially purchased Sinopharm vaccine doses -- 11 lakh and 9 lakh -- in the next two days.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque shared the updates in a video message on Thursday.
Read: 80pc people to be vaccinated by March: Zahid Maleque
“Around 12 lakh vaccine doses will reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:20 pm on Friday and the rest on Saturday,” said the minister.
The minister will be present at the airport on Friday.
Earlier, Deputy Chief of Mission at Chinese Embassy in Dhaka Hualong Yan said the first consignment of 2 million doses of vaccine as part of Bangladesh government's commercial purchase from China's Sinopharm are ready for delivery in Beijing.
Covid-19: Switzerland provides additional Tk 90 crore to support Bangladesh
Switzerland will provide additional 9.8 million Swiss Francs or approximately Tk 90 crore to scale up its support for an effective community-based response as Covid-19 cases are again on the rise in Bangladesh.
With these additional funds, Switzerland broadens its engagement with national and international partner organizations, in close collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, to help local communities curb the spread of the virus and reinforce socioeconomic resilience.
Read:Nationwide mass vaccination to resume Thursday
Since the first outbreak of the pandemic in April last year, Switzerland has earmarked 17 million Swiss Francs (Tk 160 crore) to over 20 projects across Bangladesh, reaching the most vulnerable and remote communities and supporting organizations working at the frontline.
These interventions have proven to be efficient in delivering timely remedy against the negative impacts of the pandemic, said the Swiss Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday.
Read:80pc people to be vaccinated by March: Zahid Maleque
So far, with Swiss support, around 1.5 million people were sensitized and trained on upholding hygiene standards; 1 million people received telemedicine services for better treatment of COVID-19; 130’000 slum dwellers received hygiene kits and 80’000 gained access to handwashing facilities; 115’000 people received cash and 60’000 food or vitamin contributions, it said.
Moreover, four helplines were established, offering psychosocial and legal support to survivors of gender based violence.
Read: Bangladesh going to receive large Covid vaccine shipment from China soon
Moving ahead, ensuring vaccines for all is key to find a way out of this unprecedented global crisis, said the Embassy.
Following the pledge of an additional 300 million Swiss Francs to the COVAX facility, the Federal Council yesterday announced the donation of 4 million Astra Zeneca vaccines to this multilateral initiative. This will help get more Covid-19 vaccines deployed more quickly to developing countries.
Bangladesh to receive 2.5mn Moderna jabs from COVAX July 2-3: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said Bangladesh will receive 2.5 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine under the COVAX facility in two consignments on July 2 and July 3 respectively.
The Foreign Minister also said the first consignment of 2 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine will arrive soon.
“I think complexities over vaccine supply are eased,” he told reporters at Foreign Service Academy after a programme.
Dr Momen said huge money has been allocated and there is nothing to be worried about vaccine purchase. “We shouldn’t have faced any problem.”
Earlier, Deputy Chief of Mission at Chinese Embassy in Dhaka Hualong Yan said the first consignment of 2 million doses of vaccine as part of Bangladesh government's commercial purchase from China's Sinopharm are ready for delivery in Beijing.
READ: Individuals having appointments to be allowed to go to foreign missions during lockdown: FM
"China stands by our Bangladeshi friends in fighting the new wave of the pandemic," he said.
Bangladesh is likely to get 1.5 crore of Sinopharm vaccine doses from China while China says it is ready to supply more, if needed.
Earlier, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller tweeted saying Bangladesh will soon receive a gift of 2.5 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from the American people via GAVI.
"As the largest contributor to COVAX, the U.S. is committed to increasing the country’s vaccine supply to beat the pandemic here and worldwide." Ambassador Miller said.
Bangladesh entered into a deal with the Serum Institute of India (SII) to purchase 30 million doses of a potential vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca for Covid-19.
Bangladesh was supposed to get five million doses of vaccine per month as the SII and Bangladesh’s Beximco Pharma signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for priority delivery of the vaccine doses.
Bangladesh has so far received only 7 million of Oxford-AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine doses produced by Serum Institute of India (SII) through its contract. Bangladesh also received 3.3 million doses of vaccine as a bilateral partnership gift.
Regarding the national budget he said, an “optimistic budget” has been passed despite bad days due to Covid-19 situation with an expansion of the social safety net. “It has been proved again that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a friend of the poor.”
Responding to a question on use of Myanmar’s SIM cards in Rohingya camps, Dr Momen said the government stopped 4G services in the camps to stop criminal activities and trafficking in person.
He, however, said they reintroduced it amid desperate efforts from the UNHCR and rights bodies.
The Foreign Minister said the government has had no direct communication with the Myanmar government since the military took over power there. “We’re observing the situation.”
READ: S Asian nations should receive vaccines without any strings attached: FM
Earlier, Dr Momen along with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam spoke at the function marking the launching of Foreign Service Debating Club. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen was also present.
Bangladesh going to receive large Covid vaccine shipment from China soon
The first consignment of 2 million doses of vaccine purchased by the Bangladesh government from China's Sinopharm are ready for delivery in Beijing.
Deputy Chief of Mission at Chinese Embassy in Dhaka Hualong Yan on Wednesday said it will reach Dhaka soon.
Read: First batch of purchased Chinese vaccines to arrive soon: Envoy
"China stands by our Bangladeshi friends in fighting the new wave of the pandemic," he said.
Bangladesh is likely to get 1.5 crore of Sinopharm vaccine doses from China while China is ready to supply more, if needed.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh will soon get 2.5 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine under the COVAX facility.
Read:S Asian nations should receive vaccines without any strings attached: FM
Bangladesh to get 2.5 mn doses of Moderna vaccine
Bangladesh will soon get 2.5 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine under COVAX facility as the country’s desperate wait for vaccines from many sources is getting longer.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller have confirmed it.
COVAX, the global vaccine alliance, has already written to Bangladesh that the Moderna vaccine shots will be arriving here within seven to 10 days.
Also read: Bangladesh to get $ 940 mln ADB loans for procuring Covid vaccine
Ambassador Miller tweeted saying that Bangladesh will soon receive a gift of 2.5 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from the American people via GAVI.
Bangladesh to get $ 940 mln ADB loans for procuring Covid vaccine
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will give USD 940 million in loans to Bangladesh for procuring safe and effective vaccines against Covid-19.
An agreement was signed on Thursday in this regard.
Read:Govt, ADB ink 250 mln loan deal to strengthen social resilience program
Economic Relations Division (ERD) secretary Fatima Yasmin and ADB Country Director Manmohan Parkash signed the loans agreement on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB respectively at a simple ceremony at the ERD in Dhaka.
The package, which comprises a regular loan and a concessional loan of $470 million each, is part of ADB’s $9 billion Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX) launched in December 2020 to offer rapid and equitable vaccine-related support to ADB’s developing member countries (DMCs), according to a release from ADB.
The project will fund the purchase of an estimated 44.7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to be administered to more than 20 million Bangladeshis by 2024, contributing to the government’s National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for Covid-19 Vaccines.
The vaccines will be secured through the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) program, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), or bilateral arrangements with vaccine manufacturers or distributors.
Vaccines eligible for financing must meet at least one of the APVAX eligibility criteria: the vaccine has been selected for procurement through the COVAX mechanism; the vaccine has been prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO) or WHO emergency use listing; or the vaccine has received regular or emergency licensure or authorization by a Stringent Regulatory Authority.
Read:ADB approves $250 million loan to Dhaka to finance reforms
ADB Country Director Manmohan Parkash said that Safe and effective mass vaccination is critical for protecting lives and livelihoods, and ensuring quick socio-economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is our single largest support for vaccine procurement till now, and ADB is committed to help the government of Bangladesh in procuring quality and affordable vaccines early.”
He also mentioned that Vaccines can reduce virus transmission and infection, and curtail mortality, contributing to saving lives and alleviating pressures on the health system.
“In addition to vaccine procurement, we are also pleased to help improve the vaccine registration, delivery, distribution, monitoring, coordination, and management systems,” Parkash said.
“The assistance follows our reoriented program priorities in supporting a quick socio-economic recovery in Bangladesh,” he added.
Read: Climate Change to get priority in Bangladesh alongside Covid support:ADB
ADB is helping the government strengthen its vaccine delivery system and fight against COVID-19 through ongoing technical assistance projects worth around $7 million.
In addition, ADB has supported Bangladesh’s Covid-19 response through a $250 million loan in June 2021 to strengthen social protection and resilience programs, a $500 million loan in May 2020 for expanding social safety nets for vulnerable groups and supporting critical labor-intensive industries and small and medium enterprises to preserve jobs, a $100 million loan in April 2020 to support procurement of equipment and supplies and upgrading of health and testing facilities, a $50 million loan for microenterprise development for creating jobs, an initial emergency grant of $350,000 for the procurement of medical supplies and equipment, and $1.3 million from an ongoing project to provide one-time cash support to trainees of an ongoing skills training program.
Rohingya vaccination depends on arrival of vaccines from COVAX
UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, and the humanitarian community are waiting for the arrival of vaccine doses under the COVAX facility to begin the vaccination of Rohingyas in Bangladesh as it was originally scheduled to begin by the end of March.
The government of Bangladesh, however, wants to ensure vaccination of both the Rohingyas and host community together depending on the availability of vaccine doses as it does not want to see any discrimination against anybody, officials said.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, saw a significant rise in the number of Covid-19 positive cases in Rohingya camps in April and May last.
Also read: Strict lockdown imposed in Teknaf and five Rohingya camps
Twenty people died of Covid infections in the camps, while 1,566 Covid-19 cases were confirmed as of June 20, according to the UNHCR.
Bangladesh to start administering Pfizer vaccine doses Monday
Bangladesh’s health workers are gearing up to start administering the first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in capital Dhaka on Monday as the Covid-19 situation keeps worsening in the country.
Prof Shamsul Haque, Line Director of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and a member of the Vaccine Distribution Committee, disclosed it in a health briefing on Sunday.
“We’ve already received 100,620 doses of vaccine from COVAX facility. We’ve preserved it. Necessary guidelines and training have been given. Hope, we’ll start the inoculation with it on Monday,” he said.
Read:Bangladesh rolls out Sinopharm vaccine
The vaccine will be administered first at three hospitals in Dhaka-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Sheikh Russel Gastro-liver Institute and Kurmitola General Hospital.
Those who got registered earlier for vaccination will get priority, Prof Haque added.
In each of these centres, 120 people will be vaccinated every day from 9 am to 3 pm.
People getting vaccinated in the first run of Pfizer vaccine will be monitored for 7-10 days before the regular vaccination programme with Pfizer is launched, said Dr. Shamsul Haque.
He also said that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shots will arrive soon and those who could not get the second dose will get priority.
Read:Pfizer, Sinopharm shots to start June 19: Health Minister
S Korea pledges $200mn to provide vaccines in lower-income countries
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said his country will provide $200 million in aid through next year for equitable access of COVID-19 vaccines in lower-income countries.
President Moon, during a plenary session on health during a Group of Seven Summit, vowed to offer $100 million in grants this year.
Another $100 million will be given next year to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment, a financing framework made to have COVID-19 vaccines available at lower cost than usual in more than 90 developing countries with comparatively low incomes.
Read: Korea supports strengthening digital investigation capability of Bangladesh Police
Moon was invited to attend the summit as a guest alongside his counterparts from Australia, India and South Africa, according to The Korea Herald.
Moon attended the plenary session with other guests to join the leaders of G-7 members, as well as chiefs of the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
The presidential office said the commitment will spur South Korea’s role as a global vaccine hub while it seeks partnerships with other G-7 nations.
Participants including Moon also discussed ways to cooperate on creating global public health governance and increase support for equitable medical access to nations to prepare for future public health threats, Moon’s office added.
During his visit, Moon also met with Pascal Soriot, executive director and CEO of the Britain-based AstraZeneca, to reaffirm the importance of continued cooperation in global production and supply of COVID-19 vaccines.
In the 27-minute long meeting, Moon pledged to actively cooperate with the international community to ensure enough COVID-19 vaccines are provided globally, according to the presidential office.
Read: As summit ends, G-7 urged to deliver on vaccines, climate
Cheong Wae Dae said Moon thanked Soriot for his company’s active role in the COVID-19 outbreak, saying its vaccine has been a core part of Korea’s vaccination campaign that kicked off in February. Korea aims to complete vaccination of 14 million people by the end of this month.
“AstraZeneca’s vaccine is unique for us in that it the first (COVID-19) vaccine inoculated in South Korea and is the most used vaccine,” Moon was quoted as saying.
“Koreans could receive the vaccine with relief as it was produced locally with SK’s technology transfer. This has also played an important first step for Korea to become a global vaccine production hub.”
More than 60 percent of those who have received their first jabs here were ones developed by the British pharmaceutical firm.
As of Saturday’s end, close to 8 million people in Korea have gotten their first COVID-19 shots from AstraZeneca, followed by 3.26 million from Pfizer.
Read: UK to donate 100 mn coronavirus vaccine doses
SK Group subsidiary SK Bioscience has been producing AstraZeneca’s vaccine domestically through a contract manufacturing deal.
Moon also asked Soriot to provide continued support so as to ensure a steady supply of its vaccines for the latter half of the year, Moon’s office said.
The AstraZeneca CEO also expressed appreciation for Korea’s role in the COVAX facility, as vaccines produced in the country have been provided to 75 nations within the coalition, the office added.