Nothing to be sceptical about Chinese vaccines: FM

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said there is nothing to worry about the safety of Chinese vaccines, mentioning that millions of people used the vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

"Listen, we heard the same when Covid-19 vaccine – AstraZeneca – first came to Bangladesh. So, there's nothing to worry about (Chinese vaccines). WHO approved the vaccines," he said when a reporter raised the issue.

Dr Momen referred to what he saw in video (fake) that 13 nurses turned senseless in the UK after taking AstraZeneca vaccine doses. "This kind of thing comes up."      

More than 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in China, according to international media.

"There has been no problem for any of them (in China) who got vaccinated," said the Foreign Minister, adding that there is no reason to get worried.

Bangladesh has so far received 11 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine as a gift from China apart from shipment under the commercial purchase. Bangladesh will receive another 10 lakh doses of Sinopharm vaccine from China as a gift.  

Responding to another question, the Foreign Minister said Bangladesh has decided to go for coproduction of vaccines with China and Russia.

He said all the countries that are producing vaccines are not willing to share the technology but Bangladeshi companies seek technology.

Dr Momen, however, hoped that the co-production issue will get a final shape soon.

He said Bangladesh has always been saying vaccines should be public good and technology should be owned by all the countries.