COVID-19 vaccination in Bangladesh

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Bangladesh COVID-19 vaccination program
Bangladesh (orthographic projection).svg
Date27 January 2021 (2021-01-27) – present
(mass vaccination started on 7 Feb 2021)[1][2]
LocationBangladesh Bangladesh
CauseCOVID-19 pandemic
Websitesurokkha.gov.bd

Bangladesh began administration of COVID-19 vaccines on 27 January 2021 while mass vaccination started on 7 February 2021.[1][2]

Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine was the only COVID-19 vaccine that used for emergency use from January to April 2021. Bangladesh ordered the vaccine from Serum Institute of India. However India even fails timely delivery of half of the doses from the agreement even thought Bangladesh paid for it.[3] After the vaccine shortage Bangladesh approved Russian Sputnik V and Chinese BBIBP-CorV vaccines for emergency use in late April 2021.[4][5] It was reported that the Bangladesh government planned to give permission to Bangladeshi made Bangavax to conduct the first clinical trial.[6] However fate of the Bangavax is still uncertain due to a unknown reason. As of May 2021, Bangladesh has not fully approved any COVID-19 vaccine. All the three vaccines got emergency authorization only.

History[edit]

On 21 June 2020, China invited Bangladesh to get priority access to COVID-19 vaccine once it is developed. The Chinese government also believed that the coronavirus vaccine, if developed, might be given to Bangladesh by August as the priority.[7] In July 2020, Sinovac Biotech was given approval by the Bangladesh Medical Research Council to begin a third-phase trial of a potential COVID-19 vaccine (now known as CoronaVac) at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh.[8] However Bangladesh later decided to cancel the trial of the vaccine after Sinovac asked to co-fund the domestic trials, which sources said would cost roughly $7 million.[9]

On 2 July 2020, A Bangladeshi private pharmaceutical company Globe Biotech Limited announced to be the first company from Bangladesh to have a COVID-19 vaccine under development.[10] The lone Bangladeshi company actually developed three COVID-19 vaccine candidates with different technologies.[11] The company named the mRNA based vaccin as Bangavax, which was initially called Bancovid.[12] Globe Biotech took all the necessary steps from December 2020 to January 2021 to get the permission for ethical approval to conduct the first clinical trial of Bangavax.[13]

On 5 November 2020, a tripartite agreement was signed between the government of Bangladesh, the Serum Institute of India, and Beximco Pharma of Bangladesh. Under the agreement Bangladesh ordered 30 million doses of Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine from Serum through Beximco for $4 per shot.[14] The Bangladesh government has already paid in advance for 15 million doses.[15] On the other hand, Indian government has given 3.2 million doses to Bangladesh as a gift which were also produced by Serum.

However Serum supplied only 7 million doses from the tripartite agreement in the first two months of 2021.[16] Bangladesh was supposed to receive 5 million doses per month but not received shipments in March and April.[17] As a result, rollout of vaccine has been disrupted by supply shortfalls.[17] Most people who used to take the first dose are not getting the second dose on time.[16] Not getting the second dose at the right time is likely to reduce the effectiveness of the vaccination program. Bangladesh then looked for alternative vaccine sources because India did not supply the vaccine as per the agreement.[18] Bangladesh suspended the first dosing of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from 26 April 2021 due to the supply crunch.[19]

On 27 April 2021, Bangladesh's drug regulator has authorized the emergency use of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine.[4] Russia has proposed to produce their vaccine in Bangladesh with joint collaboration with a local pharmaceutical company.[18] Bangladesh has already given policy approval in this regard.[20] Russia also agrees to sell 4 million doses of Sputnik V vaccin to Bangladesh to be deliverd in May 2021.

On 29 April 2021, Bangladesh's drug regulator has authorized the emergency use of China's Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV vaccine.[5] Like the Russian vaccine, Bangladesh also wants to produce this vaccine locally.[20]

Controversies[edit]

Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine[edit]

The Bangladesh government makes it mandatory for teachers and personals of some security forces to be vaccinated,[16][21][22] even it is only approved for emergency use. If someone does not want to be vaccinated during emergency use, they should not be vaccinated as mendatory.[23] Several unsual deaths among vaccinated have been reported on social media. It has already been proven that the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine is responsible for rare but severe blood clotting including thrombosis and even responsible for deaths.[24][25][26][27] Several citizens of Bangladesh including teachers have expressed doubts about its effectiveness and safety.[16]

The situation becomes complicated when the second dose of 1.3 million citizens is uncertain as India halts exports.[28] They are worried about whether they will get the second dose of Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine on right time or whether another vaccine will be given as a second dose instead.[28][29] According to experts it would not be wise to inoculate one person with different brands.[29] Health experts and opposition political party have criticized government for turning only to Indin for vaccine instead of multiple sources.[30][31]

Mediator Beximco earns a profit of 77 taka (about one dollar) per single Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine dose.[32] The amount is about one-fourth of the price of a single dose which has created criticism in Bangladesh. On the other hand, the Government of Bangladesh is purchasing Sputnik V and BBIBP-CorV under two separate government-to-government (G2G) deals instead of a third party.

Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV COVID-19 Vaccine[edit]

Bangladesh approved emergency use of BBIBP-CorV COVID-19 vaccine from Sinopharm for mass vaccination even though only phase 1 and phase 2 reports are available.[28] Bangladesh health department will vaccinate 1,000 people in the beginning to observe its effect and safety.[5] According to Mahbubur Rahman, DGDA Director General, “Mass inoculation will start after the observation period.”[5]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Bangladesh starts COVID vaccination drive use". Al Jazeera. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Bangladesh starts nationwide COVID vaccination drive use". Anadolu Agency. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Covid-19: Why the crisis in vaccines? use". Prothom Alo. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Bangladesh approves Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 shot; says Sinopharm pending use". REUTERS. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "Bangladesh approves China's Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use". Dhaka Tribune. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  6. ^ "'Bangavax' to get approval within a week". dailyobserver. 25 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Covid-19: Bangladesh to get priority if China develops vaccine". Dhaka Tribune. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  8. ^ Reuters (21 July 2020). "Bangladesh to Host Late-Stage Trial of China's Sinovac COVID-19 Vaccine". The Wire. Archived from the original on 9 September 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Chinese vaccine once offered to Dhaka now being used by other countries". THE BUSINESS STANDARD. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Globe Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine 'BANCOVID' listed by WHO". Daily Sun. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  11. ^ "3 Covid-19 vaccine candidates by Bangladesh's Globe Biotech enlisted in WHO draft landscape". The Daily Star. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Globe Biotech to produce vaccine candidate for clinical trial". The Financial Express. 6 January 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Globe Biotech yet to get BMRC nod for human trials". Dhaka Tribune. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  14. ^ "Dhaka to have 330 vaccination points". The Daily Star. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Painful jabs: Bangladesh's Covid-19 immunisation fiasco". The Daily Star. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  16. ^ a b c d "COVID: Bangladesh faces vaccine shortage as India halts exports". Deutsche Welle. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  17. ^ a b "Bangladesh's Covid-19 vaccine stock to run out in one month". Dhaka Tribune. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Russia has proposed manufacturing its Covid-19 vaccine in Bangladesh: Momen". The Daily Star. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Nearly 2.7m receive second dose, first dose of vaccination suspended". Prothom Alo. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Bangladesh OKs local production of Chinese, Russian vaccines use". Anadolu Agency. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  21. ^ "সব প্রাথমিক শিক্ষককে টিকা নিতে বললেন প্রতিমন্ত্রী". প্রথম আলো. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  22. ^ "চার বাহিনীর সদস্যদের টিকা নেওয়ার নির্দেশ প্রধানমন্ত্রীর". কালের কণ্ঠ. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  23. ^ "Federal law prohibits employers and others from requiring vaccination with a Covid-19 vaccine distributed under an EUA". State News. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  24. ^ "AstraZeneca blood clotting: what is this rare syndrome and how is it caused?". The Guardian. 12 April 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  25. ^ "AstraZeneca: What's the deal with thrombosis?". Deutsche Welle. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  26. ^ "Seven deaths in UK among AstraZeneca vaccine recipients after blood clots". France24. 3 April 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  27. ^ "AstraZeneca vaccine: Denmark stops rollout completely". BBC. 14 April 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  28. ^ a b c "Experts Views: Can we administer different vaccine for 2nd dose?". The Daily Star. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  29. ^ a b "Bangladesh: Uncertainty looms around COVID-19 vaccination". Anadolu Agency. 25 April 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  30. ^ "১৩ লাখ মানুষের টিকার দ্বিতীয় ডোজ অনিশ্চিত". প্রথম আলো (in Bengali). 26 April 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  31. ^ "সরকারের অযোগ্যতার কারণে বিপদগ্রস্ত গোটা জাতি". Dhaka Post (in Bengali). 26 April 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  32. ^ "করোনার প্রতি টিকায় বেক্সিমকোর মুনাফা ৭৭ টাকা". প্রথম আলো. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
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