Health minister initiates probe into AstraZeneca vaccine side effects in Bangladesh
AstraZeneca recently admitted that the vaccine sometimes causes side-effects such as blood clots and low blood platelet counts
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has been instructed to investigate if anyone who was administered the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in Bangladesh faced any prominent side effects, said Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen.
The announcement came during a high-level meeting aimed at strengthening Bangladesh's immunisation programme for universal health coverage
It was organised by the Bangladesh Parliamentary Forum for Health and Wellbeing, in collaboration with Unicef and the Shastho Shurokkha Foundation, held at the auditorium of the Centre on Integrated Rural Development for Asia and the Pacific (Cirdap) in the capital on Wednesday morning.
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The minister said a survey is underway to check if people who received the AstraZeneca vaccine in Bangladesh are experiencing any side effects. So far, no reports of such side effects have been received.
He has instructed the DGHS director general to conduct the survey among vaccine recipients and report the findings back to him.
Concerns have emerged after AstraZeneca acknowledged rare side effects such as blood clots and low blood platelet counts associated with its vaccine.
On Tuesday, AstraZeneca announced its decision to withdraw the Covid-19 vaccine worldwide due to an abundance of updated vaccines available since the pandemic began.
With over 200 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine administered in Bangladesh, the health minister refrained from commenting on the global decision until more information on the extent of side effects in the country is known, expressing their concern.
During the meeting, the health minister highlighted Bangladesh's leading position in South Asia regarding immunisation programmes to prevent child and maternal mortality. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's dedication to immunising every child was underscored.
However, it was acknowledged that the current workforce is insufficient compared to the demand, and plans are underway to bolster manpower soon.
Dr Nizam Uddin Ahmed, member of the CSO Constituency Steering Committee of the Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (Gavi) and executive director of Shastho Shurokkha Foundation, delivered the keynote address.
He emphasised Bangladesh's global recognition for its successful immunisation programme over the 50 years of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).
Despite this success, challenges remain, including manpower shortages, insufficient budget allocations, vaccination crises, transportation complications in remote areas, and parental awareness gaps, endangering many children.
Dr Nizam stressed the urgency of accelerating the hiring process and creating new positions based on location. He also announced Gavi's support for Bangladesh's EPI until 2029, emphasising the need to prepare for self-financed immunisation programmes from 2030.
In his speech, Prof Dr Md Abdul Aziz, chairman of the Bangladesh Parliamentary Forum for Health and Wellbeing, highlighted the need to address obstacles in the immunisation programme for a sustainable long-term EPI.
