Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has thanked Japan for its announcement to provide 3.0 million AstraZeneca vaccines to Bangladesh through the WHO-COVAX mechanism.
In a message sent to Foreign Minister of Japan Motegi Toshimitsu, Dr Momen acknowledged with deep appreciation the continued assistance of Japan in facing the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, including the direct budgetary support.
The message followed the receipt of 2,45,200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine as the first consignment from Japan under COVAX facilities on Saturday.
Dr Momen received the vaccine from Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport after a Cathay Pacific Airways carrying the jabs landed here around 3 pm.
After receiving the vaccine, the foreign minister expressed his gratitude to the Japan government for the supply and said that Tokyo will send more than three million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine in phases.
The second consignment consisting of nearly five lakh doses of such vaccine will arrive here on Friday next, he said.
“We urge all for a global and united response for containing this pandemic, ensuring availability of vaccines on a global scale and mobility of resources to stimulate the global economy,” Dr Momen added.
Foreign Minister lauded Prime Minister Suga’s leadership in hosting the Vaccine Summit on 02 June and committing vaccines and funds to combat the pandemic.
“As we prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between our two friendly countries in 2022. Both the countries are now working to upgrade Bangladesh-Japan relationship from a ‘Comprehensive Partnership’ to the ‘Strategic Partnership’ level” Dr. Momen said.
He reaffirmed that Bangladesh considers Japan as a true and trusted friend and also a reliable development partner.
Dr. Momen expressed his hope that the ongoing COVID cooperation will further strengthen and deepen bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Japan. Foreign Minister wished the Tokyo Olympic Games a grand success.
Dr Momen said this consignment of vaccine is important for Bangladesh as around 1.5 million people are waiting for the second dose of this Oxford made vaccine.
He said the government has already made a good lineup of getting more COVID-19 vaccines from different sources under COVAX along with commercial purchase to ensure steady supply of jabs for the countrymen.
COVAX, a global alliance, is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Bangladesh has so far received 1.2 crore doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII).
According to a GAVI statement, following a pledge made at the Gavi COVAX AMC Summit, hosted by Japan, the first COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by Japan are now reaching countries in Asia, with the first shipments set to arrive in Cambodia (332,000 doses) and Iran (1,087,570 doses) on Friday, 23 July, and Bangladesh (245,200 doses) on Saturday, 24 July.
This donation means that hundreds of thousands of people will be protected, saving lives and moving us closer to our goal of global equitable access to vaccines.
The doses arriving in Cambodia, Iran and Bangladesh are the first of a donation of more than 11 million AstraZeneca doses of COVID-19 vaccines provided by Japan, which are being shared via the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (Gavi COVAX AMC) with countries in Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, Pacific Island Countries, and others.
The government of Japan announced in its press releases that “In order to overcome COVID-19, it is important to promote equitable access to vaccines not only in Japan but also throughout the world. Japan will continue to work towards securing equitable access to safe, effective and quality-assured vaccines through various support, responding to the needs of developing countries and the world, in cooperation with relevant countries and international organizations.”
“Japan has supported COVAX from the beginning and has provided US$ 1 billion in funding to the Gavi COVAX AMC. In operationalising its dose donation, the Government of Japan has further grown its commitment to global equitable access,” Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, added. “We look forward to seeing Japanese doses flowing to a number of countries in the coming weeks.”
In a global landscape where supply is still under significant pressure, and transmission is accelerating due to more transmissible new variants, dose-sharing by countries with surpluses can help get vaccines to countries that need them right now. While a number of higher-income countries have now pledged doses, Gavi is now focusing on ensuring doses are donated as equitably and rapidly as possible and acknowledges the countries that have worked closely with COVAX in recent weeks to ensure all legal and logistical hurdles have been overcome, converting doses pledged to doses delivered.
These doses donated by Japan are produced by the AstraZeneca manufacturing network. Donating through COVAX helps to increase vaccine coverage, ensures that no dose goes to waste, and helps to bring an end to the acute phase of the pandemic.
