India, Bangladesh sign MoU for 30 million doses of COVID vaccine

Bangladesh has signed a tripartite agreement with the Serum Institute of India and Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a pharmaceutical company in Bangladesh, for the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford.

New Delhi: A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Serum Institute of India Pvt Limited, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Bangladesh on Thursday to collect three millions doses of Covishield, the Indian version of Oxford-Astrazeneca's coronavirus vaccine, once it is finally approved for human application.

The MoU was signed at the ministry's conference room in Dhaka, in the presence of Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Indian High Commissioner Vikram K. Doraiswami.

Indian High Commissioner Vikram K. Doraiswami said in a tweet, "Delighted by MoU b/w @SerumInstIndia, @BeximcoPharma + Min of Health for 30 mn doses of Covid 19 vaccine today. PM @narendramodi said in March: neighbourhood collaboration should be a model for the world. We have to fight this battle together and we have to win together."

According to the report, under the MoU, the SII will supply the vaccines in phases -- 50 lakh every month -- via its Bangladeshi counterpart Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

"We are signing this MoU under the condition that we will take it only if it is approved by the World Health Organization," health minister Zahid said in his speech.

Read:India aims to immune 20-25 crore people with Covid 19 vaccine by August

The Health Minister also said, "Once the vaccine is developed, the Serum Institute will provide three crore dozes of the vaccine in the first phase, and BPL will bring it to Bangladesh."

"We would be able to provide the vaccine to 1.5 crore people once it is available in Bangladesh as two shots of vaccine are needed for one person," he added.

The process to bring oxford/Astrazeneca Vaccine will start in January next year, informed Zahid adding that a decision was taken in principle that Serum Institute will provide the vaccine at the same price they would procure.

It is worth noting that Bangladesh was in talks with development partners, including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, to secure funds for the vaccine, government officials said.

Read:Kolkata hosp waiting for DGCI nod to begin Phase-II trial of COVID-19 vaccine

Moreover, the Serum Institute, the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume, has partnered with AstraZeneca, the Gates Foundation and the Gavi vaccine alliance to produce more than a billion doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for global supply.

The report said AstraZeneca has signed several supplies and manufacturing deals with companies and governments around the world, while data in October showed the vaccine produces an immune response in both old and young adults.

AstraZeneca's experimental COVID-19 vaccine is seen as one of the most advanced candidates in the race against the novel coronavirus.