Health ministry behind delay in getting vaccines from Russia, China: Momen

Inefficiency in preparing documents related to vaccine purchase from China and Russia is causing a bit of delay in getting them, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said today.

The minister also said the health ministry is behind the delay in this case.

"China had sent three documents. Of them, we prepared and sent two documents back to China. One was sent yesterday [Wednesday]. Part of it was Chinese and part of it in English. Somehow, we signed it in the Chinese part," he said.

"Later, a professor of Chinese language was appointed who then helped prepare the document. Then it was sent again yesterday. The health ministry did it. It is being delayed there," Momen told reporters following a meeting with South Korean Ambassador at the State Guest House Padma today.

"There's a little bit of delay. Our ambassador [in China] is very frustrated. He is finalising the documents. He called me to text the health minister and our principal secretary to remind them. I hope the documents with China will be finalised by next week," Momen said.

Talking about signing a deal with Russia, he said some documents sent by Russia have been finalised, but some more are still left to be completed.

"Some amounts [price] were written and then again changed. They [Russia] don't like changes in the documents. We are engaged with these. They want a clean document. If we have objections [on any issues], we have to do it clearly," Momen said.

"The work is going on. It will be okay," he said.

Bangladesh wants to buy Sinopharm vaccines from China and Sputnik V vaccines from Russia.

The country is in talks on co-production of these vaccines, but at the moment the stock of vaccine is almost over and the country immediately needs 2 million AstraZeneca vaccines to provide second doses.

Bangladesh is desperately seeking to buy vaccines from different countries, after India in March halted export of vaccines. Bangladesh had signed a deal to buy 30 million vaccines from Serum Institute of India but only 10.2 million were supplied as India is facing almost 4,000 deaths a day and four lakh infections.

After the US announced it had 60 million AstraZeneca vaccines, Bangladesh wrote to the State Department seeking to receive part of it. Until yesterday, it had not received any response.

"We learned that Bangladesh is not in the priority list for the US vaccines as the death rate here is low. India, Brazil, Spain and Indonesia are in the priority list because of their high death and infections," Momen said.

"We told our US friends we are in trouble due to a shortage of vaccines. So, please give us two million shots so that we can complete the second dose. Our expatriate Bangladeshis also wrote to the White House for vaccines to Bangladesh."

On Tuesday, during a telephone call with India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, Momen requested for at least 1.5 million AstraZeneca vaccines as there is a bar on exporting it.

"I also requested Jaishankar to pursue US vaccines as Indians have a major voice in the US. We are stuck because of you."

Momen said he and Jaishankar had a positive discussion but the latter could not say whether he could send 15 lakh vaccines.