Bangladesh No. 1 recipient of Covid vaccines from Unicef under Covax

Unicef delivered over 190 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh through Covax in one year.

To date, Bangladesh remains the top recipient of Covid vaccines under Covax, the global initiative co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Health Organization, with Unicef as a key delivery partner.

Covax accounts for more than 62 percent of Covid vaccine doses received by Bangladesh, according to a press release.

Covid-19 vaccination started in Bangladesh in February 2021. Unicef delivered the first Covax shipment of vaccines to Bangladesh on June 1 last year at a time when only 4 percent of the population were fully vaccinated.

"With the committed strong leadership of the Honourable Prime Minister, Bangladesh has shown incredible resilience to face the COVID-19 pandemic. With continuous supply of vaccines and hard work of dedicated health workers, we have been able to vaccinate the targeted population without wasting doses," said Prof Dr Meerjady Sabrina Flora, additional directorate general (Planning and Development), DGHS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

"Bangladesh's ability to absorb and roll out Covid-19 vaccines is a testament to what can be achieved when there is political commitment and an equitable supply of vaccines. The success in getting millions of vaccines quickly and safely into arms in every corner of the country has been nothing short of remarkable," said Unicef Representative to Bangladesh Sheldon Yett.

A Covid-19 booster dose campaign is planned for June 4-10.

"Bangladesh with 69 percent fully vaccinated population is close to achieving the global benchmark of 70 percent fully vaccinated population by June 2022. The success could not have been possible without COVAX support. The ongoing pace of vaccination gives us a hope to see the end of COVID-19 as a global health emergency. Let us also not forget that the pandemic is not over anywhere until it's over everywhere" said WHO Representative to Bangladesh Dr Bardan Jung Rana.