Bangladesh, which started a nationwide vaccination drive in February ahead of many other countries in the world, has secured a pledge of getting 21 crore vaccines by next year.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque disclosed this on Saturday at a webinar with the owners of the private hospitals.
Of the 21 crore, he said 3 crore would come from China, 3 crore Oxford/ AstraZeneca, 7 crore under COVAX facility, 1 crore from Russia and 7 crore from Johnson and Johnson.
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine would come by the second quarter of the next year, he said.
"So far, about 12 million people have been vaccinated," he said. “If we get these 21 crore vaccines on time, we will be able to vaccinate 80 percent people”.
The health minister also said that by August, 40 oxygen generators will be installed in 40 hospitals across the country.
“We will not have any oxygen crisis,” he said, when private medical hospital owners informed the minister about the oxygen crisis at the webinar.
Director General for Health Services Prof ABM Khurshid Alam added that from now on, 400 tonnes of oxygen can be brought from India twice a week.
“So, 1600 tons of oxygen will come to the country from India every month. So, there will be no crisis. The country usually needs 60-70 tons of oxygen. Now 260 tons is needed,” he said as the Covid-19 patients have increased.
Of the total tested samples, over 30 percent come positive every day.
The government is enforcing countrywide lockdown to contain the spread.
