Sputnik V vaccine: Russia offers to sell 2.5cr shots

The Russian government has offered Bangladesh to either buy around 2.5 crore doses of Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine or produce the shots locally with its assistance.

The foreign ministry has informed the health ministry about the recent communication from the Russian government in this regard.

"The government of Russia has proposed that it can either export around 2.5 crore doses to Bangladesh or help us produce the same number of doses locally by December this year in phases," Health Minister Zahid Maleque told The Daily Star last night.

He said the Russian government also offered exporting another 3.5 crore doses of the vaccine by April next year in phases.

"They have informed us that they can export the vaccine and are willing to assist Bangladesh to produce the vaccine locally," the minister said.

Asked whether Bangladesh is capable of producing such a huge number of vaccine shots, Zahid said they inspected several local drug manufacturers who were capable enough to produce the vaccine.

"We are considering the proposal positively. We will start detailed negotiations on issues like terms and conditions, pricing and shipment."

The move comes amid an uncertainty over availability of vaccine shots from Serum Institute of India (SII).

With Serum failing to comply with an agreement to supply three crore jabs of Covishield to Bangladesh in six instalments, the Bangladesh government started exploring alternative sources for shots in a desperate attempt to continue the ongoing inoculation drive against novel coronavirus.

Russia approved the Sputnik V vaccine for domestic use in August last year.

India recently approved the use of Sputnik V as the country faces shortages of jabs amid an intensifying second wave of the deadly Covid-19 virus.

The health minister said apart from Russia, some local companies have already started discussions on importing vaccines manufactured by US drugmaker Moderna.

"We need vaccines. If we want to inoculate 10 crore people, we need 20 crore doses. Even if it is one dose, we need at least 10 crore doses. This target can be achieved through initiatives at government-to-government or private level," he added.

Bangladesh had earlier signed an agreement to purchase three crore doses of Covishield from SII through its local agent Beximco Pharmaceuticals. As per the deal, the government was supposed to get 50 lakh doses a month. But till yesterday, the government has only received 70 lakh doses in two instalments.

In the meantime, New Delhi reportedly imposed a temporary restriction on all major exports of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine made by SII to meet its local demands, reported global media.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen in a recent interview with the state-run news agency BSS revealed the Russian proposal.

Russia proposed manufacturingits Sputnik V vaccine in Bangladesh in collaboration with local pharmaceuticals under a co-production arrangement, he said.

"We agreed with them on co-production… though it's not finalised yet."

As per the proposal, Russia will provide the technology and Bangladeshi pharmaceutical companies will produce the vaccine here, Momen said.

"If things go well, it will be cheap and hopefully it will be better," he added.