Dhaka, (Samajweekly) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said that the country had procured three crore Covid-19 vaccine doses already, while other nations have also expressed interest to provide them supplies.
The Prime Minister was speaking after virtually laying the foundation stone of Kumudini International Institute of Medical Sciences and Cancer Research (KIIMS CaRe) at Narayanganj, from her official residence GonoBhaban.
“We made advance payment when the research was going on and the World Health Organisation did not give approval, but I have made the advance payment so that we could get it early to save the country from the Covid-19 pandemic,” Hasina said, adding that there was some doubt and confusion at the initial stage among people about the Covid-19 vaccine.
Since the launch of the nationwide vaccination campaign on February 7, a growing number of people are being inoculated with each passing day.
The Prime Minister said: “Now there’s no problem, everyone is coming to get the vaccine at vaccination centres with huge interest and enthusiasm.”
“The Indian government has sent 20 lakh doses as gift.”
She also emphasised: “We have to keep wearing masks, wash our hands, and stay clean. We have been giving out the jabs and will keep doing so, but everyone has to follow the health safety rules at the same time.
“By doing so, we can weed out the pandemic from the country.”
Hasina also added that her government is doing best, whatever necessary to face the coronavirus and the pandemic is now largely under control in Bangladesh for various appropriate measures of the government.
Noting that to face the Covid-19 pandemic, her government appointed 2,000 doctors and 6,000 nurses and technicians, she said: “We’re taking further steps to appoint more (doctors and nurses, technicians) so that people of the country can avail medical facilities.”
Thanking the Kumudini Welfare Trust, which is setting up the hospital, and Saha families for their engagement in the development of the medical sector, she recalled memories of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with noted philanthropist and businessman Ranada Prasad Saha and his son, who were brutally killed by the Pakistan Army and its auxiliary forces in 1971.
Hasina said that for research activities, the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University was the first to be established by her government in its 1996 stint in power while four medical universities are now being set up as she stressed the importance of research work.
“Research on medical science is not happening significantly here, which is very much needed. Those who were supposed to do this are very busy attending patients after becoming doctors. I see a handful of people doing research or making publications,” Hasina said.
Regarding research on cancer, the PM said the research on this disease is also very inadequate in the country.
“We need research urgently,” she said asking all concerned to focus on Bangladesh’s climate and environment while doing research, particularly on cancer.
“Our aim is to establish one medical university in each division of the country to pave the way for research work,” she added.
