Bangladesh to get 6.8 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccine from Gavi

Bangladesh will get 6.8 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccine from the Gavi-- The Vaccine Alliance -- under the global arrangement called Covax facility within 2021.

Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) made the disclosure at a press briefing held on Wednesday with its Director General Prof ABM Khurshid Alam in the chair.

Cost for each shot of vaccine from Gavi arrangement has been estimated at US $1.62 to $2.

Dr Shamsul Haque Mridha, director of expanded programme for immunization (EPI), said in the press conference that Bangladesh will collect the vaccines from Gavi through financing.

He said that those, who will submit the National Vaccine Deployment Plan first, will receive the vaccine supply first. 

Dr Shamsul Haque expressed hope that they will be able to submit it on the first day.

Moreover, Bangladesh will take Oxford vaccines from India's Serum Institute via Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, he added.

Top officials of the DGHS attended the event, among others.