The United States has donated another 10 million (1 crore) doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to Bangladesh via COVAX, sustaining the effort to expand vaccinations across the country.  This latest donation from the American people makes Bangladesh the largest recipient of US-donated COVID-19 vaccines among all countries worldwide, with more than 61 million (6.1 crore) doses delivered to date, said the US Embassy in Dhaka on Monday.  These ongoing donations of Pfizer vaccines are part of the broader commitment by the United States to lead the global COVID-19 response by providing one billion doses of Pfizer vaccine around the world—free of charge—through 2022.   This latest donation of Pfizer doses underscores the partnership between the two countries and the generosity of the American people in donating more COVID-19 vaccines to Bangladesh than to any other country in the world, said U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Helen LaFave. Also read: Dhaka calls for sharing technology, know-how of Covid-19 vaccine production "More importantly, it reflects the work of the Government of Bangladesh and all partners involved in the rapid scale-up of the vaccination campaign to get shots in arms safely and efficiently." The United States says it continues to work closely with Bangladesh to support every facet of the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign.  The United States has provided training to over 9,000 healthcare providers and volunteers on proper vaccination management, supported cold-chain storage and transportation, and assisted with targeted campaigns to vaccinate students and people in hard-to-reach communities.  The U.S. has also contributed over $131 million in COVID-related development and humanitarian assistance through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Also read: US donates 6mn more Pfizer vaccine doses to Bangladesh This assistance has saved lives and treated individuals infected with COVID-19, strengthened testing capacity and monitoring, enhanced case management and infection prevention and control practices, and improved supply chain and logistics management systems. 

The United States has purchased 18 trucks to help Bangladesh establish a dedicated fleet of specialized cold-chain vehicles to deliver COVID-19 vaccines across the country.  US acting Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) William Dowers and US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director Kathryn Stevens handed over the brand new freezer trucks to Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque as part of the ongoing US support to the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Bangladesh.  Read: Bangladesh plans to import huge petroleum fuel amid global market volatility USAID purchased four trucks on the local market with an additional 14 vehicles to arrive in the coming months, said the US Embassy in Dhaka. The total US government COVID-19 assistance to Bangladesh exceeds $121 million. USAID partnered with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, the agencies that will oversee the procurement of these vehicles and support the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to roll out COVID-19 vaccinations across the country.  “We hope to sustain the impressive momentum Bangladesh has made in turning the tide against the pandemic. Through our work, we are helping to get more people vaccinated so they can protect themselves and their loved ones, and return to more normal lives,” said acting DCM Dowers.