Russia keen to provide COVID-19 vaccine to Bangladesh: Health minister

Russia is keen to provide Bangladesh with its newly approved COVID-19 vaccine under the Government-to-Government (G2G) initiative, health minister Zahid Maleque told newsmen at the secretariat on Monday noon.

The minister said the Russian government has asked Bangladesh whether it is capable of producing the vaccine here. If so, they’ll give the permission to do so.

Zahid Maleque said, “We have assurance of getting Oxford’s vaccine. India’s Serum Institute of India (SII) Private Limited has struck a deal with Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited (BPL).”

The minister also said South Korea has promised to provide Bangladesh with two PCR machines and antigen test kits.

No country other than China has appealed to Bangladesh for the trial of vaccine in the country, he added.