Bangladesh is expected to receive around 68 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, under a global arrangement called Covax facility within 2021.
The information was disclosed by Dr Md Shamsul Haque, line director at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), at an event in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The cost for each shot of the vaccine has been estimated at $1.62 to $2 (Tk138-170 approximately).
Bangladesh will get 68 million vaccines (two doses per person) from Gavi for 20% of the population, which is 34 million people and it will be available by 2021.
DGHS Director General Prof Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam presided over the event, while Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD) Director Abu Hena Morshed Zaman, Additional Director General (Administration) of the DGHS Nasima Sultana, Additional Director General (Research and Development) Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora and other officials were present.
Dr Shamsul Haque Mridha, director of Expanded Programme Immunization (EPI), said Bangladesh was currently working on developing the National Vaccine Deployment Plan for Covid-19 vaccines in the country.
The Line Director at DGHS, Dr Md Shamsul Haque, said: “Those who submit the National Vaccine Deployment Plan first will get the vaccine first. We hope we will be able to submit our plans on the first day Gavi starts accepting plans.”
Also read: What are the steps taken by Bangladesh for procuring Covid-19 vaccines?
However, Gavi, based in Geneva, Switzerland, and a Vaccine Alliance, which brings together public and private sectors with the shared goal of creating equal access to vaccines - will not give it away for free. Therefore the government would have to go for co-financing, he added.
Professor Meerjady Sabrina Flora, additional director general of the DGHS, also said if the vaccines provided by Gavi were not enough more vaccines would be purchased by providing a price higher than $2.
She added that the plan was to buy vaccines for 40% of the population from Gavi.
Last July, Bangladesh applied to Covax and Gavi accepted it on July 14. Later, on September 18, Gavi sent a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially announcing Bangladesh's eligibility to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
Gavi was created in 2000 to improve access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world's poorest countries.
All Covid-19 vaccine options for Bangladesh
In addition to the Gavi agreement, the Bangladesh government is also preparing to buy the vaccines directly.
Bangladesh has been in negotiations with almost all countries and companies – which have been developing Covid-19 vaccines – for procurement.
Nine such organizations across the world are purportedly in the final stages of producing Covid-19 vaccines, and Bangladesh is in touch with at least six of them.
Dr Shamsul Haque said: “The whole world is now working on vaccines, so we are preparing to acquire whichever one is available first.”
Also read: When can Bangladesh avail of Covid-19 vaccine?
The government has signed a tripartite agreement with Serum Institute of India and Beximco Pharmaceuticals.
According to this agreement, Bangladesh can purchase 30 million doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine for $4 (Tk340) each. Adding transportation from the manufacturer, the price will increase by another dollar.
About Tk735 crore has been invested by the Finance Division in this regard.
In addition, Sinovac and Russia’s Sputnik are also moving at a fast pace. Bangladesh was keeping in touch with them as well, said Dr Shamsul Haque.
He said Sanofi and Pfizer were being contacted regarding how to get their vaccine if there was an “urgency.” However, some vaccines were very “questionable” considering the climate of our country and many countries in the world did not have such a “low temperature” system to store these vaccines and so they are also worried about it.
However, the vaccine must be pre-qualified by the World Health Organization and the European Commission. It must have the approval of the manufacturer as well as the Directorate General of Drug Administration of Bangladesh.
Everything will be done with the safety of people in mind.
The government has formed the Covid-19 Vaccine Management Committee to work on these issues. The Bangladesh Working Group of Vaccine Management is working on these issues and so is the Covid-19 Vaccine Preparedness and Deployment Core Committee.
