Staff Reporter :
The human trials in Bangladesh of a Covid-19 vaccine developed by Chinese company Sinovac Biotech Ltd would be delayed. It is not possible to start trial for now, Chinese authority informed Bangladesh in a letter on September 25.
In the letter Sinovac said, they will conduct a survey in Dhaka on October. After the survey they will decide
when the trial will start.
After changing dates for several times it was decided that ‘Sinovac’ vaccine trial will be started in September. Health Secretary, Md Abdul Mannan said, that the trial would start in a few days. He said Sinovac Biotech Ltd would send a letter to the health ministry with details in a day or two.
Earlier this month, Bangladesh’s Health Minister, Zahid Maleque, announced that the government had approved Sinovac’s phase III trial and noted that Bangladesh will get 100,000 free vaccine doses from Sinovac Biotech Ltd as part of the agreement.
In the initial stage, 4,200 healthcare workers at seven Covid-19 dedicated hospitals in Dhaka will take part in the trial process. Half of the participants will take the vaccine.
The hospitals are Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (two units), Mugda General Hospital, Kurmitola General Hospital, Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, Dhaka Mahanagar General Hospital, and Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College Hospital.
The trials will be conducted by the internationally recognised Bangladeshi health research organisation International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB). For this purpose ICDDRB has appointed 250 field workers as the part of their preparation. Korea-based clinical research organisation LSK Global PS will monitor the trial.
The human trial of ‘Sinovac’ vaccine has been started in Brazil and Indonesia.
Over the trial of Sinovac vaccine Bangladesh is searching alternative sources of vaccine instead of China, Russia and India.
Bangladesh has also linked with COVAX process for getting vaccine.
Beximco Pharma signs deal with India’s Serum Institute to supply Covid-19 vaccine in Bangladesh which developed by Oxford University.
Health Minister, Zahid Maleque said, Bangladesh is going to get Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine in the end of November.
He said, Russia’s vaccine more advanced than others country.
Maleque also said that Bangladesh is in close contact with five other pharmaceutical companies working on Covid-19 vaccines.
