Bangladesh has inked a deal with China to buy the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said yesterday.

Meanwhile, China is set to deliver 600,000 doses of the vaccine in a second consignment given to Bangladesh as a gift today.

The health minister disclosed the information during a programme at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Dhaka.

“The recent revelation of vaccine prices has created some issues. We have to maintain non-disclosure clauses strictly according to the deal,” he said.

The minister did not disclose the date of the deal, the price or quantity of doses.

On 27 May, the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase approved a proposal to buy 15 million doses of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine.

During a briefing right after the meeting, a Cabinet Division official told reporters the authorities would purchase the vaccine at $10 per dose. The price disclosure created some confusion, as Beijing had said that Bangladesh would have to pay $15 per dose to buy the vaccine.