The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) today revealed that the stock of the Covid-19 vaccine is running out in Bangladesh as only 14 lakh jabs are left in hand with no sign in sight to get a fresh consignment of it from India.
DGHS spokesperson Dr Robed Amin at a virtual press briefing said, ”We had around 1 crore and 2 lakh vaccines in our hands. Around 88 lakh jabs have already been administered as the first and second doses. Now we’ve some 14 lakh doses left in stock.”
There will be a vaccine crisis if fresh consignments do not arrive in the country before the existing stock runs out, he said.
Dr. Robed said that around 58,19,719 people have so far received the first jab of the vaccine while 30,23,169 got the second one.
As per statistics, the country lacks over 14 lakh 2nd doses of the vaccine to administer to those who received the first sjot.
The government has suspended administering the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on April 26 amid the vaccine crisis.
The DGHS spokesman, however, hoped that Bangladesh may get vaccine doses from Chain before Eid.
Besides, a process is currently underway to give clearance by the Health Ministry for procuring Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, he added.
Robed said Renata Limited, a local pharmaceutical company has sought the government’s permission to import Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine and discussions are going on in this regard.
He said 3 pharmaceuticals companies in the country have already contacted the government as they want to produce the Covid vaccine in the country. “The three companies are hopeful that they’ll be able to produce 1.5 crore vaccines in a year in Bangladesh.”
He said the government and DGHS assessed their capacity to manufacture vaccines.
The DGHS official said the Covid situation has improved in the country significantly over the last week as the virus transmission rate continues to drop.
Stating that the virus positivity rate came down to 8.71% on Tuesday, he said there is no room for complacency over the current situation as the positive cases may spike again for any kind of negligence.
Robed said the health safety rules must be maintained and the public movement will have to be restricted to maintain the declining trend of virus transmission.
He also urged people to wear masks whenever they come out of their homes as it is the best preventive gear against possible Covid infections.
