Bangladesh starts COVID-19 inoculation drive with Indian-made vaccines

Bangladesh on Sunday launched its nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign with the Made in India vaccine by Serum Institute of India, reported Dhaka Tribune.

India under Vaccine Maitri initiative provided exported coronavirus vaccines to Bangladesh as well as its neighbouring countries to inoculate people against the shortfall in the availability of vaccines.

Bangladesh received seven million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, two million as a gift from India and five million as part of a contract with the Serum Institute of India.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque rolled out the campaign at a virtual event at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka on Sunday morning.

Maleque also urged all not to spread propaganda against the vaccine as it is safe and has no side effects, reported Dhaka Tribune.

"The vaccine campaign will continue throughout the year. There is another process to get the jab other than online registration. People can be able to take the shots immediately after registering themselves at the vaccine centres," he added.

Later on, he took coronavirus vaccine jab at Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital around 11:25 am (local time).

Other ministers along with justices and distinguished persons followed the suit and took the jab on Sunday at different hospitals in Dhaka.

The health authorities have also decided to administer second doses of the vaccine four weeks after the first jab, instead of eight weeks.

DGHS Director General Khurshid Alam on Saturday said a total of 2,400 vaccination teams would be deployed across the country - 204 teams at 50 vaccine centres in Dhaka and 2,196 teams at 995 centres outside the capital, reported Dhaka Tribune.

According to the instructions of the DGHS, 10 vaccination teams (eight on duty and two in reserve) will be deployed at Sadar hospitals of each district, while three teams (two on duty and one in reserve) will be deployed at other centres. Each team should be able to vaccinate 100-150 people per day.

Meanwhile, the government has cancelled leave of health workers until February 10 due to the nationwide vaccination drive.

The vaccine registration website www.surokkha.gov.bd has been open to the public since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the vaccination campaign on January 27. The Surokkha app is yet to become available on the Google Play Store.

( With inputs from ANI )