Published in: The Daily Star
Date: 19 June, 2021

In Dhaka city, the vaccine campaign started from 8am in four centres including Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, Shaheed Shuhrawardy Medical College Hospital and Mugda Medical College Hospital.

The campaign will continue till 3pm every day from today, except on Fridays and public holidays.

However, only the students of public and private medical colleges are being inoculated in the four centres in Dhaka since morning.

Many people were seen going back from the vaccination centre at Mugda Medical College Hospital without receiving the jab, reports our correspondent while visiting the centre this morning.

Dr Ashim Kumar Nath, director of the hospital told The Daily Star that primarily they are giving vaccines only to the students of government and private medical colleges.

“We have received 2,400 doses of Sinopharm vaccine. Those who registered and did not receive vaccine yet, will get it later due to shortage,” Dr Ashim Kumar Nath said adding that they will be notified via SMS.

On the other hand, a total of 303 students of three medical colleges have been listed to get vaccines today at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, reports our DMCH reporter.

Health officials said, almost 15 lakh people have registered for the vaccination but haven’t received first shots yet.

For now, only those who registered with the 67 centres around the country, but have not received the first shots, will get priority, said a notice issued by the health directorate.

Frontline government health workers, police members, outgoing migrant workers (registered with the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training), cleaners of Dhaka’s two city corporations, and ward or municipality workers involved in funerals will also get priority for the vaccination.

Besides, students of all government, private medical, dental, nursing, midwifery MATS and IHT colleges, residential students of all public universities, employees of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, and the Chinese nationals in Bangladesh will also be eligible for the vaccination, the notice said.

The first dose of inoculation against Covid-19 resumed with the Sinopharm vaccine at a time when the country is witnessing a rise in coronavirus cases and deaths.

The government suspended the countrywide administration of the first dose on April 26 due to a shortage of the AstraZeneca vaccines.

Bangladesh received the Sinopharm doses as gift from the Chinese government in two installments.

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/coronavirus-deadly-new-threat/news/vaccination-sinopharm-starts-across-the-country-2113849