76% vaccine seekers yet to receive second dose

As the mass vaccination drive is currently closed, 76 percent people could not receive the second dose of coronavirus vaccine.  Even though the Bangladesh government plans to inoculate 80 percent of the entire population, the health department has managed to inoculate 4 percent so far.

In terms of fully vaccinating people with both the doses, Bangladesh is at the bottom of the list. According to vaccination tracker data from the World Health Organization, till Friday (August 27), Bangladesh is only above Myanmar in the list detailing vaccination progress in ten South East Asian nations.

80 percent people to be covered under national vaccination drive

The decision to cover 80 percent population under the national vaccination drive was finalised last December. The country’s population is 17 crore. Out of which, the health department plans to inoculate 14 crore.

The Health Minister declared that eight crore people would be fully vaccinated with two shots by February 2022. On the other hand, with the pace of vaccination in the country so far, that plan seems farfetched. 

13.5 crore people left to be vaccinated

According to the target set by the health minister, 16 crore doses must be administered by February. But, only 2 crore 53 lakh doses have been administered so far. A total of 13 crore 47 doses must be administered to meet the health minister’s vaccination goal.

On the flip side, in the last 7 months, the health department has immunised 4.3 percent of the targeted population. If the current vaccination pace continues, it will take roughly 11 years to fully inoculate the remaining 76 percent of the government’s target population.