Vaccine Purchase: Health ministry did a ‘lousy job’

The health ministry's inefficiency in preparing documents related to vaccine purchases has been delaying getting vaccines from China and Russia, said Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday while talking about various government efforts in acquiring vaccines urgently from various countries.

"China had sent three documents. Of those, we prepared and sent back two. One was sent yesterday [Wednesday]. A part of it was in Chinese and a part of it in English. Somehow, we signed the Chinese part."

"Later, a professor of Chinese language was appointed to help prepare the document. Then it was sent again yesterday."

This delay was caused by the health ministry, Momen told reporters following a meeting with South Korean Ambassador at the State Guest House Padma yesterday.

He said the health ministry has done a "lousy job" in this regard, adding that the foreign ministry only helped make contacts.

"There has been a little bit of a delay. Our ambassador [in China] is very frustrated. He is finalising those documents. He called me to text to the health minister and our principal secretary to remind them [about the documents]. I hope those with China will be finalised by next week," Momen said.

About signing a deal with Russia, he said from all the documents sent by Russia, only some were signed.

"Some amounts [of prices] were written and then again changed. They [Russia] don't like changes in the documents. We are engaged with these. They want a clean document. If we have objections [on any issues], we have to do it clearly."

He said the work is going on and all will be well.

It is to note that Bangladesh wants to buy Sinopharm vaccines from China and Sputnik V from Russia. The country wants to purchase 2-3 crore doses from China and at least 40 lakh doses from Russia.

The country is in talks regarding co-production of these vaccines.

However, right now, the stock of vaccine is almost over and the country immediately needs two million Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines for second doses.

The country is desperately seeking to buy vaccines from different countries, after India in March halted their vaccine export. Bangladesh had signed deal to buy 30 million vaccines from Serum Institute of India but 10.2 million were supplied as India is facing almost 4,000 deaths and four lakh infections a day.

After the US announced having 60 million AstraZeneca vaccines, Bangladesh wrote to the State Department seeking to receive part of it. Until yesterday, we have not received any response.

"We have got to learn that Bangladesh is not on the priority list for the US vaccines as the death rate here is low. India, Brazil, Spain and Indonesia are higher priorities due to their high rates of deaths and infections," Momen said.

"We told our US friends that we are in trouble due to a shortage of vaccines and requested them to give us two millions so that we can complete the round of second doses. Our expatriate Bangladeshis also wrote to the White House in this regard."

Speaking to India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday, Momen requested for at least 1.5 million AstraZeneca vaccines as there is a bar on export.

"I also requested Jaishankar to pursue US vaccines as Indians have a major voice in the US."

Momen said he and Jaishankar had a positive discussion but the latter could not say whether he could send 1.5 million vaccines.

Meanwhile, South Korean Ambassador Lee Jang-Keun yesterday handed over to Momen a frame containing copies of historical documents that demonstrate Korea's official recognition of the newly independent Bangladesh on May 12, 1972.

At the meeting, Momen called on the Korean envoy to invest in the IT sector in Bangladesh. Besides, he also requested the envoy to recruit more Bangladeshi workers.