India will gift 2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’ to Bangladesh on 20 January, reported ANI.
A special flight from India will carry the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, supplied by the Serum Institute of India, and is set to land on 20 January at the Shahjalal International Airport as mentioned in a letter written by the Indian High Commission to the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The Health Service Division under the Ministry appointed the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) to ensure swift and effective administration of the vaccine, reported ANI.
According to ANI, the vaccines will be stored with the government’s health service division and additional storage will be provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in a statement made by Health Minister Zahid Maleque.
The Bangladeshi drug regulator has also authorised the import and distribution of the vaccine from India by Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited. According to the Dhaka Tribune, the company will procure 5 million vaccine doses per month in the first six months.
Back in November, the Bangladesh government signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India in which the Beximco Pharmaceutical company would get 30 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to ANI.
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla’s visit to Bangladesh last year reiterated that the region would be treated as a top priority for receiving the India-developed vaccine.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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