Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque on Thursday said that a vested quarter is active to undermine the Oxford University-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccination campaign in Bangladesh by spreading false information.
He also said that the government has changed the Covid-19 vaccination programme plan to give 3.5 million doses in the first month, instead of previously planned 6 million a month.
“A section of people are spreading rumours over the vaccine. But people received COVID-19 vaccines spontaneously ignoring their rumors,” he said while speaking at a discussion at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH) marking World Cancer Day.
“All sorts of rumors have been proved false as all vaccine receivers are well”.
The government is going to start nationwide vaccination from February 7 after successful administration to a group of front-liners including health workers, journalists, and members of law enforcement agencies.
Bangladesh has now a collection of 7 million vaccines, of which the government procured 5 million doses from the India's Serum Institute. The Indian government gifted 2 million doses.
Under a purchase deal with Beximco Pharma, the government will get 25 million more doses in coming months.
Bangladesh is expected to get 12.792 million doses in the first half of 2021 under COVAX, a World Health Organization-led scheme with GAVI Vaccine Alliance.
