Online Desk: The Asian Development Bank has approved a loan package of $336.5 million to enhance domestic vaccine, therapeutics, and diagnostics manufacturing capacity in Bangladesh.

The funds will also help strengthen the national regulator to ensure vaccine supply security in the country, the Manila-based lender said in a statement on Wednesday.

Financed through the ADB’s $9 billion Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility, initiated in December 2020, the project is part of ADB’s efforts to provide rapid and equitable vaccine-related support to its developing member countries.

“Our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic exposed challenges in accessing diagnostic testing kits, availability of vaccines, and pandemic preparedness. It highlighted the need to improve self-sufficiency and establish capacity to manufacture vaccines,” said ADB Principal Health Specialist Dinesh Arora.

“This project aims to build Bangladesh’s resilience against future pandemics, improve vaccine supply security, and reduce the incidence and severity of vaccine-preventable diseases.”

The project aims to establish a comprehensive vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostics manufacturing facility, along with a warehousing unit, at the existing location of Essential Drugs Company Limited in Gopalganj. The facility is designed to have the capacity to produce 58 million vials of vaccines annually.

Additionally, an in-house research and development centre will be set up to facilitate the production of diagnostic kits and the packaging of biosimilar therapeutics. It will also contribute to the manufacturing of at least two full-cycle vaccines by developing essential banks, including a seed bank, master cell bank, and working cell bank.

The manufacturing facility is committed to promoting gender equality and social inclusion, incorporating green and resilient production practices that prioritise energy efficiency, reduced material usage, waste reduction, and lower carbon emissions, the ADB said.

Certification from the World Health Organization for good manufacturing practices will also be sought for the facility.

The loan will support the Directorate General of Drug Administration to enhance its regulatory capacity to achieve WHO maturity level 3 and beyond, according to the ADB.