March 29, 2024, 1:32 pm


Staff Correspondent

Published:
2022-09-07 08:20:22 BdST

Lawmakers urge Gavi to continue funding immunisation programme


Members of Parliament in Bangladesh have requested the Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (Gavi) to continue funding the national immunisation program of Bangladesh until at least 2030 to deal with the recent crisis and contribute to the country's public health.

The call was made in a discussion meeting titled “Engaging Members of Parliament for Strengthening National Immunization Programme” between the Bangladesh Parliamentary Forum for Health and Wellbeing and Gavi Alliance Mission to Bangladesh on Tuesday.

Forum Chairman Prof Dr Md Habibe Millat MP presided over the meeting held at the cabinet room of the Jatiya Sangsad.

Mentioning that Gavi's funding for Bangladesh will end in 2027, lawmaker Ahsanul Islam Titu said, “We want Gavi to have this transition period at least till 2030. I think all concerned including the health minister should be prepared in this regard.”

“A task force should be formed, and a roadmap should be created. Our Prime Minister said, we don't want free vaccines; We want to increase our capacity,” he added.

On the other hand, Gavi's Country Manager Nilgan Aydogan said, “We are taking the issues discussed by parliamentarians as our action points. Bangladesh is developing its economy very fast. In this situation, our policy funding is reduced in the coming days.”

The GAVI country manager added that however, they are taking the matter seriously and keeping the suggestions of the members of Parliament in consideration.

Former health minister AFM Ruhal Haque, lawmakers Shahiduzzaman Sarkar, Abdus Shahid, Arma Dutta, Habiba Rahman Khan, Kaniz Fatema Begum, Umme Kulsoom Smriti, Zakia Tabassum, Aparajita Haque, Umme Fatema Najma Begum, Adv Syeda Rubina Haque, among others, joined in the discussion.

Officials from Health Services Department, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Finance Department, Ministry of Finance, Department of Health, EPI, World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi Alliance Mission to Bangladesh team, World Bank, UNICEF and Shastho Shurokkha Foundation also took part in the program.

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