80m people to be vaccinated by February: Health minister

The health minister on Monday said some 70 to 80 million people can be vaccinated by February next year.

Zahid Maleque made the disclosure to the newsmen at the secretariat after a cabinet meeting.

He said in accordance with a proposal of the World Health Organisation (WHO), a total of 105 million doses of vaccines are being purchased from Sinopharm and Sinovac of China.

Besides, Some 68 million doses of vaccines will be received under the COVAX initiative.

“The way we have purchased the vaccines and the way the World Health Organization (WHO) has promised us, there will be no scarcity of vaccines in Bangladesh in future if all concerned maintain their pledges,” the minister added.

Zahid Maleque said, "If we receive 160 million vaccines by December, then we will able to inoculate some 80 million people.”

The minister also said they are not mulling over conducting countrywide mass vaccination campaign now because of the shortage of vaccines. Besides, from now, the government will not use the title ‘mass’ in the future.

Zahid Maleque further said prime minister Sheikh Hasina has directed them to minimise the time span between the first and second dose and they are trying to do so accordingly.