Registered persons to serially get Pfizer vaccine: Zahid Maleque

Health minister Zahid Maleque has said that persons who have been registered will be given the Pfizer vaccine according to serial.

This vaccine will be given in four centres selected by the government.

The health minister was replying to questions by newspersons today, Monday, after a discussion meet on 'National Vitamin A Plus Campaign 2001' held at the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons in the capital city.

He said the Pfizer vaccine diluent would be arriving Monday night. Both the Pfizer vaccine and the Sinopharma vaccine would be continued simultaneously.

Another 600,000 vaccines would arrive on 13 June from Sinopharma. The Pfizer vaccine programme would start then. He said, "We are signing a deal with Sinopharma and, for the time being, they will supply us 15 million (1.5 crore) vaccines over the next three months."

The minister said that Sinovac has also expressed interest in supplying the vaccine and want to take up a joint venture to manufacture the vaccine in Bangladesh. Emergency approval has been given for the use of the Sinovac vaccine. Negotiations with them are at a preliminary stage. "They will be given the opportunity if they can supply us with the vaccine and manufacture it with a local company," he said.

Procurement of the vaccine from Russia is at a draft stage, Zahid Maleque said, adding that Russia was positive about it and a deal would be signed shortly.

Replying to a question concerning the expenditure per coronavirus patient, Zahid Maleque said, according to the health economics unit of the health ministry, the daily expenditure for those using general beds is Tk 15,000 and for ICU is Tk 50,000.