Ecnec approves vaccine plant project

Bangladesh is finally going to build a full-fledged vaccine manufacturing plant and research institute in Gopalganj, aiming to produce at least 10 types of vaccines, including vaccines for dengue, polio, and Covid-19.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) yesterday approved the proposal for a Tk 3,124 crore project to establish a three-unit vaccine plant. One is a state-of-the-art fill-finish unit for vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics; one is a vaccine production unit; and the other is an international standard vaccine research and development unit.

The seven-year project named “Establishment of Essential Biotech and Research Centre at Gopalganj” will start its activities in January 2024, aiming to produce six fill-finish vaccines, namely, human papillomavirus, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid conjugate, meningococcal, flu vaccine, and anti-rabies vaccine, by 2028.

The second phase will see the vaccine go into full-scale production in 2029, with the company manufacturing its own raw materials. In addition, an international standard research centre will be established to develop new vaccines based on the latest scientific research.

Currently, Bangladesh has two private vaccine manufacturing plants. During the Covid pandemic in 2021, the lone state-owned pharmaceutical company, Essential Drugs, initiated the process of building the vaccine plant.

Earlier, the Health Services Division and Economic Relations Division initiated a Pandemic Preparedness and Response Fund with a $300 million loan from the Asian Development Bank.

The ADB sanctioned spending $250 million from the fund and agreed to donate $1.25 million, according to the project proposal.

At yesterday’s meeting, a total of 52 projects were placed, and the committee approved 37 projects with a cost of Tk 52,612 crore.