Sputnik-V, Oxford AstraZeneca Shots May Arrive in July : Health Min

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque has stated that Bangladesh will receive the Russian-made coronavirus vaccine Sputnik-V this July.

The health minister told reporters at noon on Tuesday (July 6).

"We have completed all the preparations to buy the vaccine from Russia," he said. "Hopefully, we'll get some news this month."

On April 26, the Russian vaccine Sputnik-V was approved for emergency use in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, 1 million Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccines could come to Bangladesh this July. These 1 million vaccines will come from the United States under Covax. And from next August, the Serum Institute of India will provide vaccines, the minister said.

However, he could not specify the amount of vaccines to be sent by the Serum Institute.

Earlier, Bangladesh signed an agreement late last year to buy 30 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India. After receiving the first consignment of that vaccine, mass vaccination started on February 7 all over the country. But after sending 7 million doses in two consignments, India stopped exporting the vaccines.