Bangladesh vaccinating Rohigyas at Bhashan Char

Bangladesh has started vaccinating the Rohingya refugees living in the government facilities at Hatia’s Bhashan Char in Noakhali.

As many as 443 Rohingyas and 185 Bangladeshis were inoculated on Monday, said Noakhali Civil Surgeon Dr Masum Iftekhar.

In the first phase of the program, those aged above 55 will be vaccinated along with camp Majhis, imams and the volunteers for the vaccination programs, reports Bangla Tribune.

There are currently 560 Rohingyas aged above 55 at Bhashan Char, said Moazzem Hossain, additional commissioner of the Bhashan Char Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner’s (RRRC) office.

Also Read - UNHCR lauds Bangladesh for Rohingya vaccination

Bangladesh started vaccinating the Rohingya refugees living in Cox's Bazar camps from August 10 as part of its nationwide mass vaccination drive.

 A three-day vaccination program was carried out with over 6,901 refugees receiving shots on the first day.

There has been a recent uptick in infections in the camps, with around 20,000 cases and 200 deaths recorded among refugees since the pandemic broke out last year.

According to the office of the RRRC, as many as 2,409 Rohingyas contracted the deadly virus and 28 died since the first case emerged in May last year.

Currently, some 1.1 million Rohingyas live in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar and 19,000 at Bhashan Char.