AstraZeneca vaccine as gift from Japan arrives Saturday

As a gift to Bangladesh from Japan, a consignment of 245,200 doses of Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is arriving in Dhaka on Saturday. Japan is providing Bangladesh with this vaccine through the global initiative COVAX. This is the first consignment of vaccines as a gift from Japan to Bangladesh.

Officials of the foreign ministry on Friday afternoon said, foreign minister AK Abdul Momen will receive the vaccine at Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday afternoon. Japan’s ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki will hand over the vaccines.

Japan’s foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced that Japan would give 11 million (1 crore 10 lakh) AstraZeneca vaccines through COVAX to 15 countries. On this list, Bangladesh will be given 2.9 million (29 lakh) AstraZeneca vaccines in a few phases.

Vaccines are collected two ways through the global initiative COVAX. Firstly, various countries purchase vaccine for COVAX as committed. Secondly, various countries provide COVAX with the funds to purchase vaccines. COVAX uses the funds to purchase vaccines according to requirements.