Health Services Division Secretary Abdul Mannan today said Bangladesh would be among the first to get any COVID-19 vaccine developed in any country across the world.

"First of all, Bangladesh will get the vaccine free of cost," Mannan said addressing a special meeting with the National Technical Advisory Committee to tackle the outbreak of coronavirus held at the secretariat in Dhaka this noon.

Mannan said many countries, including the US and China, are on the verge of developing the COVID-19 vaccine, reports UNB.

Countries with a per capita income of less than 4,000 dollars will get the vaccine free of cost and the per capita income of Bangladesh is near about 2,000 dollars, the health secretary said adding that, "In this context we will get the vaccine free of cost."

After getting the vaccine, the government has a plan to distribute it among 80 percent of the people gradually, Mannan said.

Taking part at the meeting, Abul Kalam Azad, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services, said "We will have to work in a united way talking lesson from the past. There is no lacking of cooperation between the health directorate and the ministry. We are working collectively for the sake of the country."    

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