The government has disbursed around half the fund sought by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to buy 3 crore doses of potential Covid-19 vaccines being developed by Novavax and Oxford University/AstraZeneca.
Per dose of the vaccine costs $5 (Taka 423.85) with an extra $1.25 for publicity expense, which includes awareness programmes.
Finance division disbursed Taka 735.77 crore from the fund allocated in 2020-21 fiscal year budget to fight Covid-19. This amount includes transportation cost to get the vaccine from aboard.
However, Health Service Division under Health and Family Welfare Ministry asked for Taka 1271.55 crore.
Health Service Division issued a circular on Monday, signed by Joint Secretary of Finance Division Dr Mohammad Abu Yusuf regarding the disbursement of the said amount of fund.
Finance division allocated Taka 10,000 crore this fiscal year to fight the deadly coronavirus, officials of the finance division said.
According to the circular, Taka 635.77 crore will be used for half the dose of the vaccine while Taka 100 crore will be used for proper distribution of the vaccine across the country.
The Finance division put five conditions in the circular to procure Covid-19 from aboard.
According to the circular, the said budget fund will be used to procure vaccine and cold chain equipment (to transporting and storing vaccine) and AD (Auto Disable) syringes safety boxes.
Health service division will have to send bill vouchers and expenditure report of purchase of the vaccines to Finance Division within a month.
Besides, with advice from the Finance Division, bank guarantee will be finalised, according to the circular.
Health services division will approve its proposal to purchase the vaccine with the approval of the cabinet committee of economic affairs and cabinet committee of public purchase.
Bangladesh, on Monday, confirmed 21 more deaths from coronavirus and 2,139 new cases after testing 15,768 samples in the previous 24 hours.
With this, the death toll from the deadly virus has risen to 6,215 and the total number of infections stands at 4.34,472.
Health Secretary Md Abdul Mannan said over the phone, “Bangladesh citizens badly need to get the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine on a priority basis.”
"Finance division disbursed more than Taka 700 crore which is the primary lot for allocation of funds this fiscal year. We hope the rest of the fund will be disbursed within a short time," he said.
On November 10, Health Service Division Secretary Abdul Mannan sent a proposal to Finance Division seeking Taka 1,589.43 crore to procure 3 crore doses of Novavax and Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines.
Last month, the government signed a deal with Beximco Pharmaceuticals and the Serum Institute of India to buy 3 crore doses of the vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca.
Regarding applying the vaccine, Health Minister Zahed Maleque said, “We will be able to vaccinate 15 million people -- each requiring two doses. The second shot will be given 28 days apart.”
“They will be able to send five million doses of vaccine a month. According to the contract, an approval from the World Health Organisation is required.” he also said.
Dr Mozaharul Haque, the former Advisor of World Health Organisation (WHO), said “Every country is trying its best to make vaccines and get vaccines from global market. However, before any vaccine is administered to the human body, it is determined whether it is safe and effective.”
He also said, "Moreover, the vaccine manufacturing company will give a license and approval for marketing. It must also be approved by the World Health Organization. The country to use it for its people must also approve it.”
He further said that according to the rules for receiving vaccines, 20 percent of the people in each country will get the vaccine on priority basis. In this case, the volunteers will be the frontliners. There is no chance of getting a free vaccine here. However, poorer countries have the opportunity to get vaccinated with GAVI funding which includes Bangladesh.
According to Health Service Division, it informed Beximco Pharma to facilitate the connection between the Bangladesh government and the Serum Institute of India.
British drugmaker AstraZeneca expects data from late-stage trials of the vaccine later this year. The company has taken on the development of Oxford University's potential Covid-19 vaccine, scoring billions in funding and signing multiple deals to supply over three billion doses to countries around the world.
Data in October showed the vaccine produces an immune response in both old and young adults.
AstraZeneca is expected to publish eagerly awaited late-stage clinical trial data in the coming weeks. Expectations are that Britain could start rolling out a successful vaccine in late December or early 2021.
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