ZCZC
BSS-49
COVID-19-VACCINE-MEET
Emergency meeting on COVID-19 vaccination held at PMO
DHAKA, Nov 26, 2020 (BSS) – An emergency meeting on the preparation
and implementation plan of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme
was held at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) here this afternoon.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) gave a power point
presentation at the meeting on the uses of Corona vaccines planning.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque attended the
meeting as the chief guest.
Meanwhile, the government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)
with the Indian company-the Serum Institute of India (SII), which
manufactures vaccines and immuno-biologicals, and Beximco
Pharmaceuticals Ltd on Thursday.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Indian High Commissioner to
Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami were, among others, present at the
signing ceremony held at the Health Services Division.
As per the MoU, the Serum Institute of India (SII) will initially
provide 3 crore doses of Oxford-AtraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine to
Bangladesh once it is finally approved for human application.
Talking to reporters, the minister said in the first phase, Serum
will supply 3 crore doses of vaccine to Bangladesh. “The vaccine will
be safe for human body. It has been proved effective,” he added.
He said a total of 1.5 crore people can be vaccinated with each
getting two doses.
The second wave of coronavirus has already hit many countries
across the world. Along with the infections, deaths from the virus
started to rise around the world recording 10,526 fatalities in the
last 24 hours till 10am on Thursday.
In total, the death toll from the virus has reached 1,230,786,
according to data collated by tracking website Worldometer.
Besides, confirmed coronavirus cases have reached 48,422,013,
including 574,241, during the period.
Of the currently infected 12,519,742 patients, 12,430,370 are in
mild condition while 89,372 are in serious or critical condition.
So far, 34,671,485 people have made recovery from the disease in
different countries.
Bangladesh has so far confirmed to 416,006 coronavirus cases and
6,021 deaths.
The meeting was also attended, among others, by Chief Coordinator of
SDG to the Prime Minister’s Office Zuena Aziz, Secretary of the Prime
Minister’s Office M Tofazzal Hossen Mia, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Managing Director Namul Hasan Papon, Secretaries and Director General
of the concerned ministries and division, representatives of the law
enforcing agencies, public health specialists and concerned PMO
officials.
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Dr Ahmad Kaikaus
presided over the meeting.
Considering the phase-wise availability of the vaccine, the meeting
also has decided that health workers, frontline workers, less disease
resistant people, age old people, long term disease infected old
people, education workers and mass transport workers will get
preference in vaccination programme.
Before launching the vaccination programme, a list of the most
privileged people will be formulated and national, district and upzila
level monitoring committee also will be formed.
“All the people throughout the country will get the Corona
vaccination in phases,” said the health minister quoting the Prime
Minster as saying.
Bangladesh, is one of the seventeen most privileged countries in the
world, is getting the Corona vaccine, said Nazmul Hasan Papan in his
address.
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