24 crore doses COVID vaccine likely by March-April: Momen

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said Dhaka is expecting to get 24 crore doses of different COVID vaccine from various sources by March-April next.

“Most of these 24 crore doses of vaccine will be coming under the COVAX framework,” he told reporters after attending the 5th International Conference on Inclusive Business, organised by Dutch-Bangla Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DBCCI) in the capital.

The foreign minister said the arrangement was made following his meeting with World Health Organization (WHO) Director General in Geneva last month.

“We asked for 26 crore of doses, but they approved 24 crore … for now we are happy with it (24 crore doses),” he said adding that they would try to arrange rest two crore of doses jabs later on.

However, he said, some vaccines would be produced at home as Bangladesh needs 26 crore vaccine doses.

The minister said Bangladesh is on the right track of mass vaccination as 2.22 crore people have already been vaccinated while half of the total 16 crore people of the country are young.

Replying a query, the foreign minister said there is no update on vaccine cooperation with Russia due to the Covid-19 situation there. (BSS)