AstraZeneca vaccination will continue: Health minister

At a time when AstraZeneca is withdrawing its covid vaccine from the market admitting that it has ‘dangerous’ side effects, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samant Lal Sen has said that the AstraZeneca vaccination programme will continue in Bangladesh as no harmful symptoms have been found among the people who received the vaccine in the country so far.

He said, “Until I know the extent of side effects in our country, I can't say anything about it. However, we are concerned about it and the health directorate is active on the issue. They (AstraZeneca) are saying to withdraw the vaccine but how can we do so until we have any proof?”

“I have directed the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to find out whether there are any side effects among those who were inoculated with AstraZeneca's covid vaccine in Bangladesh,” he added.

The minister made the observations in a meeting organized to strengthen the immunization programme to ensure universal health services at CIRDAP auditorium in the capital today (Wednesday).

Mentionable, the global pharmaceutical giant admitted in February last that its covid vaccine, Covishield, can cause a rare and dangerous side effect. The vaccines can "in very rare cases, cause TTS (Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome)". TTS causes blood clots and a low blood platelet count in humans and has been linked to at least 81 deaths in the UK.
AstraZeneca is now withdrawing the vaccine worldwide from the markets from Tuesday (May 7) last.

In this context, Dr Samant Lal Sen said, “Oxford AstraZeneca's corona vaccine is being criticized in different countries of the world. Several deaths from side effects have also been reported in some countries. No such side effects have been reported in our country so far.”

“As we also received the same vaccine, we need to find out if there are any side effects. I have already instructed the director general of DGHS after knowing this and they are surveying it. The DGHS would submit a report to me after surveying the people who had been jabbed with given this vaccine,” he added