80% people will be vaccinated by April next year: Health Minister

The government has planned to inoculate around 80% people of the total population by April next year, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said today.

"Besides, government has targeted to bring half of the population under the vaccine safety coverage," the minister said while visiting puja mandaps in Manikganj Sadar and Saturia upazila on the occasion of Durga Puja celebrations.

The Health minister called on the religious community to follow health protocols in order to contain the Covid-19 transmission amid Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of Hindu community.

"So far, 27,000 people had died from coronavirus infection in Bangladesh, a densely populated country with a population of 18 million," he said, adding that, the lower death rate in recent time suggests a stronger healthcare system in the country.

"At present, there are 18,000 beds and 600 laboratories are available for Covid-19 treatment across the country. Moreover, central oxygen system has been established at all major hospitals across the country, where patients are receiving quality treatments," the minister added.

District Deputy Commissioner, Mohammad Abdul Latif; Superintendent of Police, Golam Azad Khan; Manikganj District Awami League Vice-President, Advocate Abdul Majid; Joint General Secretary, Sultanul Azam Khan Apel; Organising Secretary, Sudeb Kumar Saha; Manikganj Sadar and all the chairmen of Saturia Union and Puja Mandap committee presidents and general secretaries were present during the visit.

At the time, 500 kg of rice and Tk1000 financial assistance were handed over to 112 and 176 puja mandaps in Manikganj Sadar Upazila and Saturia upazila, respectively.