50 lakh doses of Oxford vaccine reach Dhaka
The vaccine reached at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11am
The first consignment of 50 lakh doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, purchased by Bangladesh from the Serum Institute of India Pvt Limited, has arrived in Dhaka.
A special flight of Air India carrying vaccines reached at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11am.
Beximco Pharma will store the vaccines in its warehouse at Gazipur's Tongi and hand them over to the government within 27 January.
On 5 November 2020, the health ministry signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding with the Serum Institute in India and Beximco to import the vaccine developed by Oxford-AstraZeneca.
About three crore doses have been secured, which Serum would deliver over a period of six months – 50 lakh a month.
The doses will be given to 1.5 crore people – 9% of the population, according to sources.
Earlier on 21 January, the consignment of 20 lakh doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, gifted by India, arrived at Dhaka Airport by air cargo.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the vaccination drive on 27 January at Kurmitola Hospital. A nurse will receive the jab there.
