Dhaka, Jan 24 – Bangladesh has worked out a plan for national vaccination against Covid-19 with a target to give two doses of vaccine to 13.82 crore people each to eliminate the deadly virus. According to the plan shared by the ruling Awami League on its verified Facebook page, the vaccine will be distributed in three phases divided into three phases based on a priority basis.
The country has so far received 20 lakh doses of Covid vaccine as the Indian government sent the jabs as a gift to Bangladesh on Thursday.
Bangladesh signed an agreement with the Serum Institute of India (SII) through Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd. to procure three crore doses of Covishield (Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine).
The first consignment of 50 lakh doses of Covishield will arrive in the country from India on Monday, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said Sunday. He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the vaccination drive on January 27 at Kurmitola Hospital. A nurse there will receive the jab.
The minister said the government has a list of everyone who will be vaccinated in phases. Maleque, however, said the government will not force anyone to receive the vaccine.
He said the government is in talks with Russia, China and others for collecting more vaccines.
Detailed vaccine distribution plan
As per the plan, a total of 13, 82,47,000 people will be vaccinated in five stages. Health workers, freedom fighters, law enforcers, military and other forces, government officials, journalists, public representatives, employees of city corporations and municipalities, and religious leaders will get the shots initially.
A total of 1,72,80,939 people will be inoculated in the two stages of the first phase. In the second phase, 1,72,80,000 people will be vaccinated and 10,36,84,000 people in the third and final phase under two stages.
First stage of the first phase
In the first stage of the first phase, a total of 51,84,282 people, including 10, 52,000 health workers and health assistants, 2,10,000 freedom fighters, 9,07,532 members of law enforcers, armed forces, 50,000 government officials and 50,000 frontline journalists, will get the vaccine.
Besides, 1,78,298 public representatives, 1,50,000 employees of city corporations and municipalities, 5,41,000 religious leader, 75,000 people engaged in burial and cremation, 4,00,000 workers of Wasa, Desa, Titas and Fire Service, 1,50,000 workers of the sea and airports, 1, 97, 621 bank officials and employees, 6, 25,000 patients with poor immunity and 77,804 workers engaged in emergency services and pandemic management will be vaccinated in the first stage of the first phase of vaccination.
Second stage of the first phase
In the second stage of the first phase, 1,20,96,657 people aged 60 and above will be vaccinated.
Second phase
Another 1,72,80,000 people will be vaccinated in the second phase, including 55,66,757 citizens aged up to 55- years, 30,21,936 elderly people having comorbidities, 17,88,053 teachers and workers of all types of educational institutions, 50, 000 media personnel left out in the first phase, 10,11,228 citizens living in the remote areas, 10,00,000 members of indigenous community, 5,00,000 workers of public transport, 2,42,964 workers of hotel, restaurants, and medicine shops, 36,00,000 RMG workers, and 1,50,000 sex workers and members of the third gender.
Third phase
The highest number of people in Bangladesh will be vaccinated in the third phase under two stages.
As per the plan, a total of 10,36,84,000 people will be given the vaccine in the two stages of the third phase. Of them, 3, 45, 61,000 will be inoculated in the first stage and 6,91,23,000 in the second stage.
Those who will get the vaccine in the third phase include 6,67,204 teachers and employees of the educational institutions left out in the second phase, 38,15,201 pregnant women (based on approval), 12,17,062 other government employees, 43,00,000 other members of the law enforcement agencies, 6,00,000 excluded employees of the city corporations and municipalities, 22,00,000 employees of the autonomous and semi-government organization staffs, 20,81,884 workers of export and industrial establishments, 25,00,000 workers of private power plants and ports and 1,00,586 prisoners and jail workers.
Besides, 22,32,114 urban slum dwellers or floating people, 16,50,000 people engaged in agriculture and food supply, 5,00,000 dormitory residents, 2,00,000 homeless people, 51,54,844 workers of different other industrial establishments, 3,00,000 other public transport workers left out in the first two phases, 65,46,323 excluded citizens aged 50 to 54, 4,96,6594 other workers engaged in emergency and pandemic management, 3,22,34,000 young citizens excluded in the previous phases, 3,22,47,157 children and school-going students and 8,42,597 people left out in the previous phases will be vaccinated in the final phase. – UNB
