‘We continue contacts with vaccine organisations’

Health Division Secretary Abdul Mannan said that Bangladesh is continuing contacts with organisations are working on vaccine for coronavirus.

He made the disclosure in a meeting on the vaccine at conference room of the ministry at Secretariat on Tuesday.

He further said Bangladesh will get facilities to obtain vaccines. Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) of Bill Gates has listed Bangladesh for vaccine. They want a representative in their next meeting expecting to be held in September. So, Bangladesh will get some vaccines on priority basis after discovery.

The Secretary said Sinovac Biotech of China has already completed trials in two phases in their own country. Now they will conduct the last and final trial on human body before marketing the vaccine. International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR’B) will conduct the trial in Bangladesh.

He said the company believe 4,200 health workers who are engaged in Covid 19 treatment are needed for the final trial. We have enough people in our coronavirus dedicated hospitals.

The Secretary said the trial needs at least 6 months. If Oxford or any other country of Europe can discover any vaccine by the time, we are ready to contact with them.

Dhaka/Asad/AKA