The government’s activities for a Covid-19 vaccination programme across the country are going on in full swing as the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has already unveiled its preparations for the vaccination against the deadly disease.
“The government is totally prepared for a coronavirus vaccination programme,” Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maelque told a press conference after a meeting about the vaccine deployment and distribution plan.
He said the government is preparing a policy on allowing the private sector to provide coronavirus vaccines in the country. “The government is arranging a transportation and storage system for coronavirus vaccines as the first lot of Oxfrod-Astrazeneca vaccine may arrive by January 26.”The government has already made a priority list of vaccine recipients, arranged an online registration system and formed vaccination teams, he added.
They have also taken a decision to conduct a test run for a week to observe any effects of the vaccines on human body.
The government has already allocated about Tk 1,455 crore to purchase Oxfrod-Astrazeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII), finance ministry sources said.
According to an agreement, the SII will supply 30 million doses of the corona jab — 5 million per month — to Bangladesh.
The government will procure the vaccine through Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, the sole supplier of the Serum’s vaccine to Bangladesh.
According to the DGHS, the first lot of 50 lakh vaccine may come from the SII by January 25. “The first lot of Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine will reach district level within a week after its arrival. The countrymen will be given the vaccine from the first week of February,” said Prof Dr ABM Khurshid Alam, director general of the DGHS.The DGHS will give Covid-19 vaccine ‘Covishield’ among 50 lakh people in first phase across the country. About 37 per cent of people under 18 years and about 40 lakh pregnant women have not been brought under the vaccination programme. Severely sick people will also not be given the vaccine. It will start online registration process to give the vaccine from January 27. The ICT ministry, MIS section of the DGHS and the DC office of Dhaka district have jointly made software ‘Surakkha’ for an online registration of vaccine recipients.
The health minister said Bangladesh may get around eight lakh doses of Pfizer vaccine under COVAX facility for four lakh people of the country.
Online registration process
Covid-19 vaccine seekers can complete registration online on www.surakkha.gov.bd website or using apps named “Surakkha’. Necessary information, including NID numbers or birth registration numbers, will have to put in a particular form in the apps or on the website.
Applicants have to download and use the app or visit the website, where they will have to choose the relevant category from around 19 categories of professions. The apps will then automatically fill in other details, collecting information from the NID database.
Teams formed to conduct vaccination programme
The government has formed 7,344 teams across the country at upazila, district and metropolis levels to conduct the vaccination pogramme at around 7,000 vaccination centres. Each of the teams is comprised of two vaccinators and four volunteers. Nurses, sub-assistant community medical officers and family welfare inspectors will be vaccinators.
The health ministry said the government is giving training to 42,000 health workers to conduct the countrywide vaccination.
The vaccination centres are upazila health complex, union parishad, district or general hospitals, government and private medical college hospitals, and specialised hospitals, police, BGB hospitals and CMH and Chest Diseases Hospital (TB hospital).
“The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) centres will also be used for the coronavirus vaccination programme,” Prof Dr Mizanur Rahman, director (MIS) of the DGHS, told the Daily Sun.
Trial run for Covid-19 vaccine
According to the DGHS, after arrival of coronavirus vaccines, some vaccines will be given to vaccinators of any hospital or medical college in Dhaka city and volunteers to keep under observation for a week about their effects.
Dr Mohammad Shamsul Haque, line director at MNC&AH of the DGHS, said, “We will give Covid-19 vaccine to a few people in some places. The place may be medical college or hospital. Vaccinators and if anyone wants voluntarily may be applied the vaccine. We will observe the situation for a week after giving the vaccine and then will start it in field.”
Who will get the vaccine on priority basis
The government has already made a priority list for first stage of the vaccination. It has made a category list. The government will give the vaccine to 1,50,0000 people (8.68 per cent) in first stage of the phase one.
According to the DGHS, 4,52,027 government health workers who are directly involved in healthcare service, six lakh government and authorised private health workers who are involved in Covid-19 patients healthcare will get the vaccine in the first month of the vaccination programme.
Two lakh and 10,000 freedom fighters will get the vaccine in first month while 2,73,310 front-line members of law enforcement agencies will get the vaccine in first month and another 2,73,310 law enforcers will get the vaccine in second month.
Some 1,80,457 military and non-military defence personnel in first month and another 1,80,457 will get the vaccine in second month. Some 25,000 officials and employees of compulsory offices for running the state will get the vaccine in first month and another 25,000 will get the vaccine in second month.
Some 25,000 front-line media workers will get the vaccine in first month and another 25,000 will get it in the second month. Some 89,149 elected public representatives will get the vaccine in first month and another 89,149 get the jab in second month.
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