MoU signed for co-production of Chinese Sinovac vaccine in Bangladesh

The government of Bangladesh, Chinese vaccine maker Sinopharm and Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd signed an MoU in Dhaka on Monday for the co-production of the Sinopharm COVID 19 vaccine in the country.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Chairman of Incepta Pharmaceuticals signed the MoU from the Bangladesh side while the president of Sinopharm signed it from the Chinese side.

Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen and the Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming witnessed the MoU signing ceremony.

Incepta Pharmaceuticals will bring the ingredients of the vaccine from China in bulk. The bottling, labelling and finishing will be done in Bangladesh which is likely to make the vaccine relatively cheap.

Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Minister Dr Momen said that vaccine co production with China is the beginning of ‘an excellent partnership’ between the two countries. He expressed the hope that soon it will enable Bangladesh to produce vaccines locally. He said Bangladesh has proposed purchase of 60 million doses of vaccine on which a decision from China is awaited.