Bangladesh will receive 5 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines by Monday as the government has expanded its inoculation programme to cover most of the population.
Of the upcoming doses, 2 million are from China's Sinopharm and over 3 million are Moderna vaccines.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque is expected to receive a consignment of 1 million doses of Chinese jab at around 11pm, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday afternoon.
Another 1 million would arrive today at 3pm.
Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Momen on his verified Facebook earlier said that more than 3 million doses of the Moderna vaccine would come via COVAX which is a WHO and Gavi-led initiative.
However, Reuters quoting the White House said that the United States will send 3.5 million Moderna doses to Bangladesh over the weekend via the COVAX international vaccine-sharing programme.
"The doses for Bangladesh will arrive on Monday," Reuters reported.
The doses are part of US President Joe Biden's promise to share doses of US vaccines with other countries around the world, via COVAX or directly.
Meanwhile, in a tweet US ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Robert Miller said, "Pleased to announce another gift of 3 million doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine coming to Bangladesh from the American people via COVAX. The US is committed to increasing the country's vaccine supply to beat the pandemic here and worldwide."
Bangladesh started a nationwide vaccination drive against the pandemic in February, ahead of many countries in the world.
