Speaking to the media in Dhaka on Tuesday, Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Ministry Abdul Mannan said that Dhaka is in touch with several international organisations like the Gavi Foundation which has invited it to be present in the next meeting scheduled for September.
He said that in case Oxford trials or other trials taking place in US and Europe, give results earlier, Bangladesh wants to get the vaccine for its people at the earliest.
Speaking about the Chinese Sinovac Biotech company’s request to allow the human trial of the vaccine, Secretary Abdul Mannan said that the permission for human trial to the Chinese vaccine will be given only after the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) is convinced about its efficacy. Otherwise it will not be permitted.
He said that even if the trial for Chinese vaccine is started now, it will take a minimum of six months to get the results.
In that case why should Bangladesh rely just on Sinovac Biotech, asked the Secretary. Bangladesh does not want to be left behind in getting the advantage of the vaccine for COVID 19 for its people. It wants to get the benefit of the vaccine at the earliest.