Vaccine Boost: Sinovac Supports Bangladesh’s EPI with SIPV Supply

Sinovac Foundation has donated 380,000 doses of polio vaccine to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of Bangladesh to further strengthen the country’s immunization programme. The donated vaccine is the WHO-approved “Poliomyelitis Vaccine (Vero Cell, Inactivated Sabin Strain)” or SIPV. A total of 380,000 doses have been supplied in 76,000 vials.

The vaccines were formally handed over on Wednesday, 13 May, at the conference room of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the Secretariat.

Sardar Md. Sakhawat Hossain received the vaccines as the chief guest at the program. While speaking to journalists after receiving the doses, he said, “Today, with the endorsement of the China government, Chinese company Sinovac has provided 76,616 vials, which is equivalent to 383,080 doses of vaccine. We also have a sufficient quantity of vaccines in hand. We will begin administering the polio vaccine. There will be no difficulty in this regard. We are also starting the administration of anti-rabies vaccines. Not a single patient will remain outside the coverage of this vaccine. Every vaccine programme is currently ongoing. There is a slight shortage of Vitamin A capsules. By June, we will have sufficient Vitamin A. As per the predetermined schedule, we will distribute Vitamin A twice a year. No deficiency will be allowed in this sector.”

The minister added that children who have not yet been brought under vaccination coverage will be identified and vaccinated. “Our routine EPI activities are ongoing. Before identifying what mistakes have been made regarding vaccines, we must ensure reassurance among mothers. That is what we are trying to do,” he said.

In response to a question about whether there would be an investigation into mismanagement related to vaccines, the minister said, “I did not say there would be no investigation. We are currently going through a crisis period. Once this crisis ends, we will take a central decision.”

Senior officials from the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh and high-level representatives of Sinovac Biotech Limited were present at the program.

The Health Ministry stated that this donation will help make the country’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) more dynamic and effective.

DBTech/SH/MUM/OR