Covid-19 vaccine stock running out, only 14 lakh jabs left: DGHS
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) today said the stock of the Covid-19 vaccine is running out in Bangladesh as there are only 14 lakh jabs in government hands with no sign of fresh consignment from India.
Speaking at a virtual press briefing, DGHS spokesperson Dr Robed Amin said, "We had around 1.2 crore vaccines…around 88 lakh jabs have already been administered as first and second doses. Now we have some 14 lakh doses left in stock."
There will be a vaccine crisis if a fresh consignment does not arrive in the country before the existing stock is exhausted, he said.
So far, 5,819,719 people have received the first dose of the vaccine while 3,023,169 got the second dose, Robed said.
As per official statistics, the country lacks over 14 lakh second doses of the vaccine to administer to those who received the first jab.
Amid the vaccine crisis, the government suspended administering the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine on April 26.
The DGHS spokesman, however, hoped that the county will get vaccine doses from China before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Besides, he said, a process is underway to give clearance for procuring Russia's Sputnik V vaccine.
Robed said three pharmaceutical companies in the country have already contacted the government as they want to produce Covid-19 vaccines. "The three companies are hopeful that they'll be able to produce 1.5 crore vaccines in a year in Bangladesh."
He said the government and DGHS assessed their capacity to manufacture vaccines.
The Covid-19 situation has significantly improved in the country over the last week as the virus transmission rate continues to drop.
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