The government of Bangladesh on Tuesday (April 27, 2021) approved the emergency use of Russian Sputnik V Vaccine. The approval was given at a meeting of the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA). Also read: FM to join China-led virtual meeting on vaccine cooperation After the meeting, Director General of DGDA Mahbubur Rahman said, “Now there’s no legal bar to the import or use of this vaccine. If Bangladesh wants to purchase it, Russia will provide it next month,” he said.  “If everything goes well, this vaccine is expected to be available by May. In the first phase, 40 lakh doses will arrive,” he added. Read US will share AstraZeneca vaccines with world The DG said the DGDA has a 12-member public health emergency committee which examined the efficacy of the vaccine. The vaccine is around 91 percent effective against Covid and its emergency use has been approved considering all these things, he added. Read Will take 2 weeks to get vaccine from alternative sources: FM Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine gives around 92% protection against Covid-19, reported BBC on February 2 this year referring to late-stage trial results published in The Lancet reveal. “The vaccine was approved by Russia and it’s now being used in seven countries of the world. We’ve got all the data about it and we’ve scrutinised it through technical experts,” Mahbub added. Read Vaccine is not the only solution: Quader  Apparently considering its dwindling stock, the government suspended administering the first dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from Apr 26.

The Palestinian Authority sent the first shipment of coronavirus vaccines to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Wednesday, two days after accusing Israel of preventing it from dispatching the doses amid objections from some Israeli lawmakers.