Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday said the government will procure another 60 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine from China to ramp up the inoculation drive against COVID-19 across Bangladesh.
“We’ve signed a deal with China to receive 15 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine. China has already started sending the vaccine doses. We’ll sign another agreement to collect another 60 million doses as the prime minister has approved it,” he said.
The health minister came up with the disclosure while inaugurating a covid field hospital at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), reports UNB.
“Of the 70 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine, 20 million doses will arrive in October and November each while some more vaccine jabs will come before the two months though those will be less in quantity,” he said.
Regarding the BSMMU covid field hospital, the minister said, “The hospital has been launched with 357 beds, including 40 ICU ones. Besides, central oxygen lines have been installed for the remaining beds.”
The hospital will be upgraded to 1000-bed ones in phases, he added.
“People will get all COVID-19 treatment facilities at the hospital and new patients and patients in critical condition will be admitted there,” said Maleque.
Noting that Bangladesh has been experiencing a devastating COVID-19 situation, the minister said there is also a crisis of ICU beds. There’re only 17,000 general beds for treating Covid patients across the country which have already been occupied, he added.
Besides, hospitals are also providing dengue treatment due to a surge in dengue cases alongside COVID-19 patients, he said.