20pc people to be vaccinated by December under COVAX facilities: Maleque

Health minister Zahid Maleque
File photo

Health and family welfare minister Zahid Maleque said 20 per cent people would be vaccinated by December this year under COVAX facilities.

"As per total population of Bangladesh, we will get Covid-19 vaccines for 40 per cent population of the country under COVAX facilities...WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus agreed to send coronavirus jabs to Bangladesh for our 40 per cent people in phases," he said.

The comments came when the health minister met with World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva, Switzerland on 1 October, an official release said on Saturday.

According to the health ministry, the government has decided to purchase 165 million more doses of Covid vaccines from China and other countries to expedite the countrywide vaccination campaign.