The government may allow private sector to acquire the coronavirus vaccine to ensure adequate supply of doses for Bangladesh population, official sources said.
They said two local companies have already started negotiations with vaccine manufacturers in UK, Russia and China after getting green signal from local authorities.
Bangladesh expects to receive its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines by February which people will receive free of charge, officials said.
Earlier, the government signed a deal with the Serum Institute of India to buy 30 million doses of the vaccine developed by British drug maker AstraZeneca.
Serum will supply the vaccines in six installments (5 million doses every month) through the local drug maker Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Industry insiders said, two local drug makers have opted to buy doses from Russia and China after the rollout AstraZeneca’s vaccine in Bangladesh.
“They are in touch with the vaccine manufacturers and will file a formal application with the Ministry of Health any time seeking its nod for importing a bulk quantity coronavirus vaccine,” said an industry leader adding that companies are expected to make an official announcement in this regard after completion of formalities with the government.
He also said that one of the companies is also seeking to produce AstraZeneca’s vaccine in its local plant.
“We have started the process to allow the private sector to purchase the coronavirus vaccine. Private sector may be given permission by government under a proper guideline,” a health ministry official told The New Nation on Tuesday on condition of anonymity.
He said private sector will only be allowed to import vaccines authorized by the US FDA, European and British regulators and World Health Organization (WHO). “Also, approval will be required from the designated body of Bangladesh’s Drug Administration.”
Initially, the government was not fervent to allow private sector to import Covid-19 vaccine. But now it is willing to ensure private sector’s participation to make vaccine doses available for Bangladeshi people.
“We have already engaged talks with AstraZeneca to produce its vaccine in our plant,” said Rabbur Reza, Chief Operative Officer (COO) of Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
“Right now, we have put our all efforts to supply vaccine to the government as per the deal with Serum India. We will look for producing AstraZeneca’s vaccine upon its arrival in Bangladesh,” he added.
They said two local companies have already started negotiations with vaccine manufacturers in UK, Russia and China after getting green signal from local authorities.
Bangladesh expects to receive its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines by February which people will receive free of charge, officials said.
Earlier, the government signed a deal with the Serum Institute of India to buy 30 million doses of the vaccine developed by British drug maker AstraZeneca.
Serum will supply the vaccines in six installments (5 million doses every month) through the local drug maker Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Industry insiders said, two local drug makers have opted to buy doses from Russia and China after the rollout AstraZeneca’s vaccine in Bangladesh.
“They are in touch with the vaccine manufacturers and will file a formal application with the Ministry of Health any time seeking its nod for importing a bulk quantity coronavirus vaccine,” said an industry leader adding that companies are expected to make an official announcement in this regard after completion of formalities with the government.
He also said that one of the companies is also seeking to produce AstraZeneca’s vaccine in its local plant.
“We have started the process to allow the private sector to purchase the coronavirus vaccine. Private sector may be given permission by government under a proper guideline,” a health ministry official told The New Nation on Tuesday on condition of anonymity.
He said private sector will only be allowed to import vaccines authorized by the US FDA, European and British regulators and World Health Organization (WHO). “Also, approval will be required from the designated body of Bangladesh’s Drug Administration.”
Initially, the government was not fervent to allow private sector to import Covid-19 vaccine. But now it is willing to ensure private sector’s participation to make vaccine doses available for Bangladeshi people.
“We have already engaged talks with AstraZeneca to produce its vaccine in our plant,” said Rabbur Reza, Chief Operative Officer (COO) of Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
“Right now, we have put our all efforts to supply vaccine to the government as per the deal with Serum India. We will look for producing AstraZeneca’s vaccine upon its arrival in Bangladesh,” he added.
