The new funds include Tk 42.36 billion to import, transport, preserve vaccines and manage the immunisation of the population. A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved the additional funds on Tuesday, boosting the COVID vaccine budget to Tk 67.86 billion. The government cleared the COVID-19 Response and Preparedness Project worth over Tk 11.27 billion in April on an emergency basis. The health workers, law enforcers, essential workers, media personnel and others will get the shots gradually on a priority basis. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will cost Bangladesh $5 or about Tk 425 per dose, Health Minister Zahid Maleque had earlier said.

Source: bd News24 January 05, 2021 10:41 UTC