Military chopper takes vaccines to remote Rangamati hills

A helicopter of the Bangladesh Air Force took off for Bilaichhari, one of the remotest parts of the Chattogram hills, on Tuesday morning from the Rangamati air base with vaccines and healthcare staff, reports UNB.

Upazila health and family planning officer Rashmi Chakma confirmed the matter.

Although the mass vaccination drive of the government started on 7 August, the Rangamati health department struggled to take the benefits of the drive to this remote place.

Member of Parliament (MP) Dipankar Talukdar, in collaboration with the local administration and the Bangladeshi armed forces, came forward to ensure helicopter support for a team of the health department so that vaccine could reach the Barathali union.

“Around 600 adults of the union will get the first dose of the Covid vaccine on Tuesday. Besides, the required medical equipment to treat Covid patients will also be provided,” said health and family planning officer Rashmi Alam.

Bilaichhari upazila nirbahi officer Md Mizanur Rahman said his team repeatedly failed to visit the remote union because of security and communication concerns.

He thanked the local MP and the Army for finally making it possible and hoped that the collaboration would continue.

As the delta variant of Covid-19 keeps spreading, Bangladesh on Saturday kicked off another phase of its mass vaccination drive aimed at inoculating 3.5 million people in six days.