Military chopper takes vaccines to remote Rangamati hills

Covid-19 mass vaccination drive reached the Rangamati hills Tuesday.

Rangamati, Aug 10 :  The Bangladesh government's Covid-19 mass vaccination drive reached the Rangamati hills Tuesday, all thanks to the local administration and the Bangladeshi armed forces.

Barathali union of Bilaichhari upazila in Rangamati is one of the remotest parts of the Chattogram hills.

Despite beginning on August 7, the Rangamati health department struggled to take the benefits of the mega Covid-19 inoculation drive to this remote place.

Member of Parliament Dipankar Talukdar, in collaboration with the local administration and the Bangladeshi armed forces, came forward to ensure helicopter support for a team of the health department so that jabs could reach the Barathali union residents.

A helicopter of the Bangladesh Air Force took off for Bilachari on Tuesday morning from the Rangamati air base with vaccines and healthcare staffers, said Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Rashmi Chakma.

“Around 600 adults of the union will get their first Covid jab on Tuesday itself,” said Dr Rashmi. “Besides, the required medical equipment to treat Covid patients will also be provided."

Bilaichhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Mizanur Rahman said his team repeatedly failed to vist the remote union because of security and communication concerns.

He thanked the local MP and the Army for finally making it possible and hoped that the collaboration would continue.

As the ruthless Delta variant of Covid-19 keeps spreading like wildfire, Bangladesh on Saturday kicked off another phase of its mass vaccination drive aimed at inoculating 35 lakh people in six days, reports UNB.