Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh government will deposit over Tk 600 crore to the account of Serum Institute of India (SII) on Sunday for procuring 3.0 crore doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine.
The deposit will be made to Serum’s account against the 50 per cent advance payment for total purchase price of $120 million, officials of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) confirmed the matter on Saturday.
The remaining 50 per cent of the vaccine price will be paid once the Directorate General of Drug Administration gives its approval, they added.
DGHS officials said Serum Institute on Thursday handed over the papers of the bank guarantee to the Bangladesh government against the advance payment.
Earlier, the DGHS, on behalf of Bangladesh, signed a contract with the SII and Beximco Pharmaceuticals of Bangladesh for buying the vaccines.
According to the clauses of the contract, Serum Institute of India will return the money to Bangladesh if it becomes unable to deliver the vaccines by the next June.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday said the first shipment of the AstraZeneca-Oxford coronavirus vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) is likely to arrive in Bangladesh in the current month of January, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque.
“The price of the vaccines will also be less than that of the price in other countries. Each vaccine will cost US$5 (Tk 425),” he said.
The Health Minister disclosed it while talking to newsmen at Manikganj on Saturday afternoon.
Zahid Maleque said, “We’re ready to receive the first shipment of vaccines. We’re very glad that India has approved Oxford-AstraZeneca’s vaccine following the United Kingdom. The government has signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to procure 30 million doses of vaccine directly,” he said.
According to the agreement, he said Bangladesh would pay the price of first shipment of vaccine this week. Under the first shipment, 50 lakh doses of vaccine will arrive in the country, while 3 crore shots will arrive in phases over the next six months.
The minister said a committee is working under the supervision of the principal secretary to prepare a list determining who are going to be vaccinated with the jabs coming under the first shipment.
The Health Minister said around 40 per cent of the population is aged below 18, while 30 to 35 lakh are pregnant women, and about one crore people live in abroad. So, a total of 5.5 crore people will not require vaccines. The rest 4 crore people will be vaccinated with the shots of Oxford-AstraZeneca and the COVAX.”
Replying to a question, the minister said those who have already been infected with coronavirus will also require vaccine.
The minister further said Bangladesh is ‘successful’ of coronavirus management compared to the United States and India.
However, the vaccine developed by Oxford-Astrazeneca is yet to receive approval from the World Health Organization.
