China has provided a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for co-production of its Sinopharm COVID vaccine with a local pharmaceutical, according to Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen.
“We’ve already handed the draft MoU to the Ministry of Health… He told reporters at the State Guest House Padma that they should dispose of it soon.
The foreign minister stated that the final MoU should not be delayed because it will take two months to begin coproduction here once the final agreement is signed.
Momen confirmed that Sinopharm, a Chinese pharmaceutical company, would collaborate with Incepta, a Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company.
However, he stated that due to the proposed agreement, Incepta will only be able to bottle and levelling Chinese vaccines locally. “It will also significantly lower immunization costs,” Momen noted.
The final agreement will be signed by three parties: the Bangladesh government, Incepta Pharmaceuticals, and Chinese Sinopharm, according to the foreign ministry.
Regarding the co-production of Russian vaccines in the United States, the foreign minister stated that the Moscow administration is now working slowly due to Russia’s third wave of coronavirus.
“But we’re going after them (Moscow) with all our might (to make Russian vaccine co-production here),” he said.
Li Jiming, the Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, paid a visit to the foreign minister’s office earlier today.
During the discussion, the Chinese envoy told Dr. Momen that his government would provide a consistent supply of vaccines to Bangladesh.
“They have asked us to let them know our desire ahead of time because there is a lot of demand for Chinese vaccine all around the world,” he said.
Dhaka has got 70 lakh Chinese Sinopharm medicines thus far, he noted.
The foreign minister mentioned that Bangladesh has received 55 lakh doses of the Moderna vaccine from the United States at no cost and that Washington DC has informed Dhaka that more vaccines will be sent to Bangladesh.
