India Ready to Send 20 Lakh Covishield Doses to Dhaka
According to latest reports, India is all set to send 20 lakh doses of Covishield, Indian version of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India to Dhaka. Authorities in Bangladesh also confirmed that on January 20, Wednesday, 20 Lakh Covishield doses will be taken on a specially equipped plane to the neighbouring capital. The Indian High Commission in Dhaka will be handing over the consignment to the Bangladesh government. As of now, Bangladesh has more than 5 lakh coronavirus cases.
The Health Services Division has recently issued a letter to Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA), the Bangladesh drug regulator. The letter emphasises the importance of following proper Covishield vaccine administration steps.
Dhaka Tribune further informed that the 20 lakh doses of the Covid-19 vaccine are planned to be received and stored at DGHS' facilities like The Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI).
Meanwhile, Zahid Maleque, Health Minister, Bangladesh confirmed that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will be providing the additional storage for the novel coronavirus vaccines.
It is to be noted that Bangladesh had recently allowed 30 million Covishield procurement. Bangladesh drug regulator had given authorization to Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited for the import and distribution of Covishield from India. As per reports in Dhaka Tribune, Beximco will procure 5 million vaccine doses on a monthly basis in the first 6 months of the first phase.
In November, 2020, Bangladesh government and Serum Institute of India had signed an agreement that stated that Beximco Pharma will avail 30 million doses of the former’s Covid-19 vaccine. Moreover, last year at the time of foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's Bangladesh visit, it was confirmed that Bangladesh will be prioritized for receiving the coronavirus vaccine being developed in India.
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Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
