Bangladesh will receive 781,440 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from Japan Saturday. A flight of All Nippon Airways, carrying the vaccine shots, left Japan's Narita International Airport Friday. The vaccine doses are scheduled to arrive at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Saturday on a flight of Cathay Pacific. Read: Bangladesh to resume administering AstraZeneca jabs Monday With this shipment, the total amount of dispatched vaccines from Japan as of today stands at over 2.4 million. This delivery is a part of Japan's commitment to supplying over 3 million doses of vaccine under the WHO-COVAX mechanism. Read: Over 1.6 million AstraZeneca doses received from Japan Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Shahabuddin Ahmed was present at the airport during vaccine dispatch. Counsellor (Labour) Md Zakir Hossain and First Secretary (Political) Arif Mohammad were also present at that time.

Bangladesh is going to take the deliveries of over 1 crore more Covid-19 vaccine doses by this month which is expected to give a further boost to its inoculation drive, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque. “Around 54 lakh doses will arrive this week while another 50 lakh later this month," the minister said while addressing an event arranged by Bangladesh Society of Medicine at a city hotel on Thursday. Read: First batch of purchased Chinese vaccines to arrive soon: Envoy He said around 1.75 crore people have so far received Covid-19 vaccine shots and crore more have got registered to do so.  “We need 26-27 crore doses of Covid vaccine. All will get vaccine jabs in phases.”

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday approved a proposal of the Health Service Division to procure 60 million doses of Chinese Sinopharm vaccine as the government is trying to gear up its nationwide vaccination drive. According to officials, the vaccine doses will arrive in the country by November this year. Read: Pragmatic talks underway over vaccine procurement But the price of the vaccine doses was not disclosed as there is a non-disclosure agreement with China in this regard, they said.   “We hope the vaccine doses will reach the country by November this year. Since we’ve a non-disclosure agreement, we can’t disclose the price,” Shamsul Arefin, additional secretary of the Cabinet Division, told reporters while briefing them on the issue.  The virtual meeting, chaired by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, also approved nine other procurement proposals of different ministries.  The finance minister said, “We’ve calculated that we need to vaccinate some 13.82 crore people. So, we have to buy 27.65 crore vaccine doses. We’ve 2.55 crore vaccine doses in our hands and the remaining amounts need to be collected.”   Earlier, Bangladesh purchased 15 million doses of Sinopharm Covid vaccine from China at a rate lower than what was set in an earlier deal.   Read: Govt. mishandled procurement of Covid-19 vaccine, allege BNP Bangladesh earlier received two million doses of vaccine as a gift from China. On May 27 this year, the same committee approved the procurement of the same Chinese jabs at $10 per dose. China was then upset by the disclosure of the price saying it was a breach of a non-disclosure clause agreed by the two governments.

Elderly people, aged 60 years or above, make up around 7.5% of Bangladesh’s total population, but they account for around 80 percent of Covid fatalities due to comorbidities and weakened immune systems, say health experts. As the government is set to embark on a special drive to vaccinate one core people in a week from August 7, they said a strategy should be there to immunise the senior citizens on the top priority basis to reduce the growing Covid death rate in the country. The analysts also said community engagement and mobile vaccination teams are crucial to ensure the vaccines for elderly people, especially in rural areas, as they are less aware of the vaccines while many of them are sick and unable to go to the vaccination centres. Read: Covid fatality rate 90% among elderly villagers, says health minister Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday said one crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines will be administered among people in a festive mood across the country on August 7-14. Low infection high mortality Talking to UNB, Robed Amin, spokesman of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said the percentage of people aged over 60 infected with the coronavirus is relatively low, but the mortality rate in this group is very high as they suffer from various critical diseases. He said the senior citizens are mostly getting infected by young people while 80% of them are dying from the virus infection. “As per our data, around 80% of Covid deaths in our country are among people in their 60s or older.” Read COVID-19 Delta variant explained: Things to know about this Coronavirus strain Prof AKM Nurun Nabi, founder Chairman of Dhaka University’s Population Sciences department, said elderly people aged 60 years and above constitute around 7.5% (12.5 million) of the country’s total population. “Elderly people are usually vulnerable to any disease as they lose their resistance power and suffer from various chronic and critical diseases. So, the mortality rate of aged Covid-19 patients is very high all over the world."

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Saturday appreciated the Health Ministry for its competency and efficiency in managing the vaccination programme nationwide.  He hoped that half of targeted people would be vaccinated within months if the current trend continues.  Read: Bangladesh receives around 8 lakh doses of AstraZeneca vaccine Bangladesh wants to vaccinate 80 percent people of the country in phases.  Dr Momen said the vaccine supply remains steady and there will be no problem to get adequate vaccine doses.  He was talking to reporters at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after receiving the second consignment of AstraZeneca vaccine doses from Japan together with Health Minister Zahid Maleque. Senior Secretary of Health Service Division Lokman Hossain Miah and Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh Ito Naoki were also present. The second consignment contains 7,81,320 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine. Dr Momen expressed displeasure as some people are saying it will take five to six years to get all people vaccinated. "Vaccination for 1 crore people has been arranged within a week." Appreciating the Health Ministry for its role, the Foreign Minister said they are doing an excellent job.  "We're working together in a coordinated way and we're handling the COVID-19 situation very successfully so far," he said.  Dr Momen thanked the Health Ministry for addressing the issues of expatriates Bangladeshis and students who are willing to return to their studies abroad.  "Challenges are coming and we're facing those challenges, I think, pretty effectively and efficiently," said the Foreign Minister.  He urged all to follow health guidelines properly saying it is a war against Covid-19 and everyone has a responsibility.  "We're thankful to Japan. They've proved that they're real friend of all Bangladeshis," said Momen after receiving the vaccine consignment. He said Japan, may be in the future, would be providing more and more support to deal with the situation.  Dr Momen said Covid-19 is a big global problem and no country can resolve it alone.  Referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said vaccine should be a public good and ownership of its technology should be shared by all the countries. The third consignment of the vaccine that will contain 6,16,780 doses of AstraZeneca is scheduled to arrive here on August 3. Foreign Minister Dr Momen received the first consignment of 2,45,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from Japan on July 24. Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito said this is the manifestation of friendship and partnership. During his recent telephone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, Dr Momen raised the vaccine issue and requested him to help Bangladesh with AstraZeneca vaccine supply. He specifically mentioned the urgency of the AstraZeneca vaccine doses as a good number of people in Bangladesh did not get the second dose of AstraZeneca due to a supply gap. Japan says it will stand by Bangladesh in the fight against Covid-19. The Japanese Foreign Minister announced that 15 countries in the region will be provided with 11 million doses in total under the COVAX facility.  

Bangladesh will get 30 lakh more doses of Sinopharm vaccine from China this month,  Health and Family Planning Minister Zahid Maleque said on Saturday. The jabs are expected to arrive in Dhaka either on July 26 or 27, he told a meeting in Dhaka. Read: 20 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine to reach Dhaka tonight The meeting with the member hospitals and organizations of Bangladesh Private Medical College Association was held to discuss Covid-19 prevention, oxygen crisis, increasing hospital facilities and beds. “We are trying to bring everyone under the Covid-19 vaccination campaign. Already enough number of Covid-19 jabs has been received and more 30 lakh doses of Sinopharm will arrive,” he said. Maleque said 21 crore doses of vaccine have already been arranged from different sources. If these are available on time Bangladesh will be able to vaccinate 80% of its population, he said. The minister said 26 cold freezers are being brought from The World Health Organization (WHO) for vaccines that need to be stored in minus 70 degree Celsius. Read: Govt to purchase 15 mn Sinopharm vaccine doses at lower rate The government has directed to prioritize elders in rural areas in vaccination drives and to bring teachers, students and their family members above 18 years under the campaign, said Maleque.

Bangladesh will purchase 15 million doses of Sinopharm Covid vaccine from China at a rate lower than that was set in an earlier deal, the finance ministry said on Thursday. The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase cleared a health ministry’s new proposal on the purchase at a virtual meeting chaired by Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal. Read: Mass inoculation to restart Monday with Sinopharm; Tuesday Bangladesh earlier received two million doses of vaccine as a gift from China, according to the proposal presented at the meeting.  “Now the Central Medicine Store of the Health Department will procure the remaining 13 million vaccines plus newly proposed two million at a lower rate than the previously set price under the Sinopharm Vaccine Supplemental Agreement-1,” said the proposal. On May 27 this year, the same committee approved the purchase of the same Chinese jabs at $10 per dose. China was then upset by the disclosure of the price saying it was a breach of a non-disclosure clause agreed by the two governments. Read: Covid vaccine supply: Gavi signs deals with Sinopharm, Sinovac Bangladesh acted promptly to remove the misunderstanding. “But this time the rate is not being disclosed in the interest of the state. It’s sure the new doses will have a lower price,” said the finance minister while briefing reporters on the issue.  Asked when the vaccine doses will arrive, he advised the media to contact the health ministry for any further information. Read: 1.84 lakh doses of Moderna, Sinopharm vaccines reach Chattogram He, however, said the new proposal was approved with a provision to allow the health ministry to procure Sinopharm’s vaccine as many as it requires to meet the emergency.

Bangladesh will receive 60 lakh more doses of Pfizer vaccine from COVAX facility by early August, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday. The minister said this while talking to reporters after visiting a field hospital at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College convention centre. Read: Bangladesh rolls out Pfizer vaccine at 3 Dhaka centers Minister Maleque said the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the vaccine delivery information on Friday through a letter. “By the end of July or in the beginning of August, we’ll receive 50 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine from China, too,” Zahid Maleque added. “We’re hopeful of having 1 to 1.5 crore doses of vaccines in our stock within one and a half months. More vaccines will be coming in August,” he said. Read: Pfizer, Sinopharm shots to start June 19: Health Minister The minister urged everyone to show compassion to   doctors and health workers who are in the frontline in the fight against Covid-19 serving patients round the clock, and many of them have lost their lives, too.   Read: Registered people will get Pfizer vaccine first, says health minister

People will now be able to register for Covid-19 vaccine through imo, according to a press release of the popular messaging app . The move  aims to amplify the mass vaccination efforts of the Bangladesh government, read the press release issued on Wednesday. Read: Registration for Covid vaccination to start again Thursday “ The key function of this new feature is to make the vaccine registration process more accessible and seamless for the people,” it read. Users will be able to find the newly added feature under the “explore” tab within the imo app, named “Covid-19 Vaccine Appointment. Read Chinese firms working with Bangladeshi partners for vaccine co-production They will be greeted with a step-by-step tutorial of the vaccine registration process for their convenience. The users will be redirected to the Surokkha website for appointments so that  they can select their desired hospitals. Read: Covid vaccine: Expat workers can now sign up on Surokkha Then they will be allocated a suitable time and date via SMS so that they can receive their vaccine jabs, explained the press release.

Chinese vaccine R&D companies are working with their Bangladesh counterparts for future vaccine co-production in Bangladesh, said Deputy Chief of Mission at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka Hualong Yan. China has so far provided vaccines to nearly 100 countries and will provide the first batch of 10 million doses of vaccines to COVAX, he said. Read: China to deliver 6 lakh doses of vaccine as gift by June 13 Chinese vaccines are the first batch of vaccines obtained by many developing countries, Yan said. China has carried out joint research and development and cooperative production with many developing countries, and supported relevant companies to cooperate with foreign parties in conducting the phase III clinical trials, he said. Read: Bangladesh begins administering 1st dose of Chinese vaccine Chinese vaccines, the safety and effectiveness of which is widely recognized, have gained a good reputation in the international community, Yan said.