The health ministry on Sunday signed an agreement with Serum Institute of India Pvt Limited for buying Covid-19 vaccine from Oxford/ AstraZeneca.
Under the deal, Bangladesh will import 30 million doses of SARS-Cov-2 AZD 1222 vaccine, 5 million in each month, from Serum Institute of India in the next six months.
Director General for Health Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam and Managing Director of Beximco Nazmul Hassan Papon signed the agreement in presence of Health Minister Zahid Maleque, the health ministry said.
The agreement paper is sent to the authorities concerned of Serum Institute which has to be sent back by December 15. Beximco is the Bangladesh distributor of the Serum’s vaccine.
The health minister said the government is buying the Oxford vaccine through Serum Institute as it is proved ‘safe’ during trials in different countries.
“It’s also suitable for our weather,” he said.
In the first phases, the government is procuring 30 million doses of the vaccine while the rest will be imported in phases within six months.
“If everything goes well, then we’ll get the vaccine in mid-January next,” he said.
Apart from Astrazeneca, the government is discussing with other companies for procuring their Covid-19 vaccines.
On November 5, the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Serum Institute of India Pvt Limited and Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BPL) to get the doses.
As per the MoU, Serum institute will provide SARS-Cov-2 AZD 1222 (Oxford/Astrazeneca Vaccine) to Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BPL).
The process to bring Oxford/Astrazeneca Vaccine will start in January next, the health minister said, adding that a decision was taken in principle that Serum Institute will provide the vaccine at the same price they would procure.
Bangladesh on Sunday reported 32 more Covid-19 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the fatalities to 7,052.
Some 1,355 new cases were reported during the period, raising the country’s infection tally to 490,533.
The mortality rate is 1.44 percent, according to the Directorate General of Health Services. The recovery rate is 85.80% so far.
The first three cases were detected on March 8 while the first death was recorded on March 18.
