Wider campaigns for a nationwide coronavirus booster dose will soon be organized to protect all eligible citizens from coronavirus infections.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque made the remark at a function marking the World Kidney Day at the National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology on Thursday.
He said, “A booster dose campaign will be organized in the country soon. Our objective is to ensure booster dose for those who are eligible but have not taken the dose yet. We have so far administered about 22 crore doses. We have succeeded in the vaccination programme. Out of 200 countries in the world, we have been ranked eighth in terms of vaccination. All these achievements belong to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We have worked under her guidelines.”
Zahid Maleque said that vaccination campaigns have been arranged before.
“In the last campaign, we have vaccinated more than one crore people in a single day. We are still vaccinating people including the first dose. Our health workers are working tirelessly. The administration staff is also cooperating with us. Due to successful vaccination programmes, the infection rate in the country has come down to two per cent,” he added.
Noting that healthcare has reached the doorsteps of the people, he said that healthcare has come a long way through community clinic services.
“At the same time, many new institutes have been established. As a result, patients are getting the latest medical services without going abroad,” he said.
Regarding kidney transplantation, the Minister said that a kind of free kidney transplantation is being done at the National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology.
“There is a law for this. We are facing some problems in getting donors. There are many opportunities in the existing law. However, there is a lack of awareness in our society,” he added.
The health minister further said that several new initiatives have been taken for improved kidney treatment facilities.
“Eight 150-bed kidney hospitals have been set up in eight divisional hospitals. This will reduce the pressure on the lone institution in the capital and patients will not have to come to Dhaka. This will reduce their costs and sufferings,” he said.