Govt to form probe body with int'l orgs over vaccine procurement lapses: Adviser Zahed
Govt begins procuring 9.5cr doses of 10 types of vaccines
Highlights:
- Probe committee to also include national experts, bodies
- Another 9 died of measles and measles-like symptoms, taking death toll to 424
- Govt procuring 9.5 crore vaccine doses via Unicef
- 1.32 crore vaccine doses arrived in the country as of 10 May
- MR vaccination target of 1.8 crore children achieved
Prime Minister's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman has said the government is forming a committee comprising national experts and international organisations to investigate whether there was any negligence in vaccine procurement and management.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing at the Press Information Department (PID) on Tuesday (12 May), Zahed said the committee will include relevant national institutions and experts involved in vaccination and health management.
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He said discussions with the prime minister regarding the formation of the committee have already taken place, and the process of forming the body will begin soon.
"We will inform the public once the committee is formed and its members are finalised," he said, adding that the panel will examine why vaccine supply was not ensured and at what stage any lapses in procurement occurred.
Referring to concerns raised by international agencies, he said, "We have heard the Unicef representative publicly say they had warned the government that the procurement process could create a crisis," adding that this claim will also be verified during the investigation.
The adviser also said the government has started procuring around 9.5 crore doses of 10 types of vaccines through Unicef to strengthen the country's ongoing immunisation programme.
He said $83.6 million has already been provided to Unicef for procuring 10 life-saving vaccines, including MR, TD, BCG, TCV, Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), and Penta vaccine.
Additional Secretary Mohammad Yasin and Principal Information Officer Syed Abdal Ahmed, among others, were present at the briefing.
Zahed said several large consignments of vaccines have already arrived in the country. Around 15 lakh doses each of IPV and MR vaccines arrived on 3 May, while 9 lakh doses of TD vaccine reached Bangladesh on 6 May.
As of 10 May, about 1.32 crore vaccine doses had already arrived, while the full 9.5 crore doses are expected by September, he added.
He further said the existing stock of TCV and HPV vaccines is sufficient to avoid shortages for the next eight to 12 months.
Referring to the measles vaccination campaign, Zahed said the target of administering MR vaccines to around 1.8 crore children aged six months to five years has been achieved. He urged guardians whose children have not yet received the vaccine to visit the nearest vaccination centres.
He also noted that immunity takes time to develop after vaccination and said the government is closely monitoring the situation.
Meanwhile, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), nine children died from measles and measles-like symptoms between 8am Monday and 8am Tuesday, bringing the total death toll to 424.
On energy security, Zahed said the "Modernisation and Expansion of Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL)" project has been undertaken to strengthen energy security. He added that ERL resumed operations on 8 May after remaining shut for three weeks.
The adviser further said a central control room will be set up at BRTA from 20 to 31 May to ensure safe travel during the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha holidays.
POS machines will be installed at toll plazas of 12 bridges by 20 May to facilitate automatic toll collection, he added.
Special launch services are also being arranged for passengers travelling from Basila and Shimulia, he said.
