No vaccine sans WHO nod: CabinetMinistries alerted on second wave of Covid

The government has ordered its line ministries to take action plans in advance to cope with the possible second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in winter, officials said.

The cabinet division has asked the 14 ministries and eight divisions under different ministries to take respective plans immediately, they added.

It issued the order on October 01, 2020 and sent it to the ministries and divisions concerned. They have been asked to inform the division after implementation the instruction.

The ministries and divisions concerned are now working on preparing their concrete action plans to handle the likely viral spell in the coming winter.

An inter-ministerial meeting was held on September 22 last after the Prime Minister urged the administration to take preparations in advance to face the situation at the field level, if the pandemic's fresh wave hits the country in the next winter season.

After the meeting, cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said the government will tackle the second wave of the pandemic without stalling economic activities.

It will strengthen the measures to implement the required health guidelines and clinical treatment arrangements, the cabinet secretary added.

Highlighting the large-scale awareness programme to stem the spread of the pandemic, the cabinet secretary said the ministries were asked to submit their own work-plans within seven to 10 working days.

In terms of enforcement of the health guidelines, he noted that they will make a work-plan on how the law-enforcement agencies will respond to the situation.

The cabinet secretary also informed that the monitoring of incoming and outgoing passengers at airports will also be intensified.

Currently, the Health Services Division is expanding Covid-19-related healthcare facilities like isolation centres, benefits of healthcare professionals, and the number of hospitals, a senior official of the division said.

The Cabinet on Wednesday decided that the government would not allow any vaccine without recognition of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam disclosed this after the cabinet meeting Wednesday held virtually with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the Chair.

The Prime Minister joined the meeting through a videoconference from her official residence Ganobhaban, while other cabinet members got connected from the Bangladesh Secretariat.

Following the WHO recognition as the baseline, the Health Ministry, the department concerned and some local pharmaceuticals are also in touch with those who are trying to develop it.

He said the government has kept aside an amount of Tk 6.00 billion under a project to procure the Covid-19 vaccine.

"So, there'll be no lack of funds to procure the vaccine. Bangladesh will collect it from where it's available," the Cabinet Secretary added.

The Health Service Division briefed the Cabinet about the latest update over the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Cabinet expressed the hope that Bangladesh will get the Covid-19 vaccine on priority basis, once it is ready, as the government is in touch with all the countries and organisations trying to develop it.

"Detailed discussions were held on Covid-19 vaccine today.... Bangladesh will get it on priority basis relatively at a lower price. Not only that but our one or more than one pharmaceutical companies will also be able to produce vaccines," said Cabinet Secretary Islam at a press briefing after the meeting.

He said different countries across the world are in a race to develop vaccines since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Right from the beginning, we've been maintaining contacts regularly with all those who are in the race to produce it," he said.