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The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase has approved four procurement proposals totaling BDT 463 crore 44 lakh 57 thousand 20 for the purchase of vaccines and medicines used in the National Immunization Program (EPI), Tuberculosis Control Program, and treatment services for HIV/AIDS patients.
These proposals were approved at a committee meeting held at the Secretariat on Wednesday (June 10), chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury.
According to meeting sources, a proposal for the procurement of the remaining 50% of routine EPI vaccines for the 2025-26 fiscal year has been approved to ensure the continuation of EPI activities at the field level. Under this, seven types of vaccines will be purchased directly through the international specialized agency UNICEF. An expenditure of BDT 412 crore 71 lakh 45 thousand 755 will be incurred in this sector.
A total of 77 lakh 95 thousand 636 vials of vaccines will be procured with this fund. The manufacturing countries of these vaccines are Japan, Denmark, India, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Belgium, and South Korea. Previously, 50% of the demand for the same fiscal year’s vaccines was purchased through UNICEF for BDT 419 crore 97 lakh 69 thousand 824.
Furthermore, a variation proposal for the additional purchase of essential anti-TB drugs (4FDC) used under the National Tuberculosis Control Program has been approved. An additional 1 crore 7 lakh 73 thousand units of medicine will be procured from Messrs. Renata PLC. This will incur an additional expenditure of BDT 15 crore 51 lakh 31 thousand 200 over the original contract value. Consequently, the revised contract value will increase to BDT 93 crore 7 lakh 87 thousand 200.
The meeting also approved a proposal for the additional purchase of urgent GeneXpert cartridges for tuberculosis diagnosis. An additional 2 lakh 96 thousand 400 cartridges will be procured from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). An additional expenditure of BDT 31 crore 69 lakh 63 thousand 935 will be incurred in this sector. The revised contract value will stand at BDT 190 crore 17 lakh 84 thousand 277.
Meanwhile, a proposal for the additional purchase of anti-retroviral drugs under the National HIV/AIDS Program has also been approved to address the increasing number of patients and prevent potential medicine shortages. 19 lakh 76 thousand 760 units of medicine across five items will be purchased from Messrs. S S Scientific Corporation. This will incur an additional expenditure of BDT 3 crore 52 lakh 16 thousand 130 over the original contract value. As a result, the revised contract value will stand at BDT 21 crore 12 lakh 96 thousand 874.
