Vaccine gifted by India to reach Dhaka on Thursday

The 20 lakh doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, gifted by India to Bangladesh, will reach at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Thursday noon, instead of Wednesday due to flight delay. 

"Health Minister Zahid Maleque will receive the vaccine at the airport. Indian High Commissioner Vikram K Doraiswami and high officials of the government will also be present there," said Health Services Division Secretary Abdul Mannan in a press briefing on Wednesday.

The health secretary also said, "Vaccine will be administered to 400-500 patients at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Kurmitola General Hospital, Mugda General Hospital and Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital on trial basis."

"The vaccinated people will be kept under observation for seven days to check whether they encounter any physical complexities," he added.

The senior health official also said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the vaccination programme before the trial. Around 25 people, including health workers, front line fighters, freedom fighters and civil society, will be given the jab on the day.

After receiving the vaccine doses, they will be preserved in the cold storage in the capital's Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).

The health secretary further said that the other 50 lakh purchased doses are expected to arrive here on 25 January.

Besides, Bangladesh is purchasing 3 crore shots of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from India's Serum Institute. Besides, India has gifted 20 lakh vaccine doses to Bangladesh. 

A tripartite deal was signed by Bangladesh government with Beximco Pharmaceuticals and India's Serum institute in this regard last November.