Bangladesh Seeks Additional $940 Million from ADB for COVID-19 Vaccine Production and Booster Shots

Strategic Insights -

The Bangladeshi government is seeking another $940 million in aid from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to finance the production of COVID-19 vaccines and establish a vaccine plant in the country. The funds will be used to set up a manufacturing unit with sophisticated facilities to produce various types of vaccines, including coronavirus jabs and other essential vaccines like polio, measles, and typhoid. The government aims to increase vaccine production capacity to meet the demand for booster shots and provide full COVID-19 vaccination coverage to its nearly 70% unvaccinated population.

Key Takeaways:

  • The government is seeking an additional $940 million in aid from the ADB to finance vaccine production and booster shots.
  • The funds will be used to set up a vaccine plant in Gopalganj with sophisticated facilities to produce various types of vaccines.
  • The ERD has requested the health ministry to formulate the expenditure plan for the proposed $940 million funds.
  • The ADB is expected to provide the loan as a budget support, allowing the health ministry to use it as necessary.
  • The Essential Drug Company Limited (EDCL) will set up the vaccine plant at Gopalganj.
  • The government aims to provide full COVID-19 vaccination coverage to its nearly 70% unvaccinated population.
  • Only 46% of the total population has received the first dose, 32.3% have received two doses, and 0.488 million have received booster doses.
  • The government plans to invest around $500 million of the aid package to set up the vaccine production plant.

Statistics:

  • $940 million: The additional aid package sought from the ADB for vaccine production and booster shots.
  • $500 million: The amount the government plans to invest in setting up the vaccine production plant.
  • Almost 70%: The percentage of the population not yet fully vaccinated with COVID-19.
  • 79.24 million: The number of people who have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is 46% of the total population.
  • 54.86 million: The number of people who have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is 32.3% of the total population.
  • 0.488 million: The number of people who have received booster doses, which is a small fraction of the eligible population.

Sources:

  • Bangladesh is seeking additional $940 million from ADB for COVID-19 vaccine production: FE Online, January 2022
  • Health secretary said he had held an inter-ministerial meeting last month: FE Online, January 2022
  • Global Data Point: "Bangladesh Seeks Additional $940 Million from ADB for COVID-19 Vaccine Production and Booster Shots", January 2022
  • Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info), January 2022