China's contributions through the COVAX Facility reflect the country's commitment to the global anti-COVID-19 fight, Bangladesh health experts have said.

They expressed appreciation for China's contributions after Bangladesh on Tuesday night received 1.7 million Chinese COVID-19 vaccine doses shipped via the COVAX Facility.

It was the first among three consignments that are scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh from China this week.

China has recently pledged to provide two billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to the world throughout this year and offer $100 million to COVAX.

Muzaherul Huq, former Southeast Asia Region adviser at the World Health Organization (WHO), said on Wednesday this is a great initiative and will be much appreciated by the people of poverty-stricken countries who can not afford to purchase the vaccine for their people.

"The COVAX participation of China with its two vaccines will be a great contribution," said the expert, adding that while some rich countries are playing vaccine diplomacy in a period when the world is in a crisis, "China is proving that they want to help poorer countries in this crisis to save human lives." 

China has provided the world with about 800 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to help people cope with the pandemic, especially those in developing countries, according to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu on Friday.

M Mushtuq Husain, adviser to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) under Bangladesh's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said Chinese vaccine contributions would surely boost Bangladeshi efforts in the country's nationwide ongoing mass inoculation drive.

"Every vaccine is very important for us. We're very happy that China sent many vaccine doses for Bangladesh through COVAX Facility," he said.

The Bangladeshi health official said people across Bangladesh are gladly receiving the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine doses.

(With input from Xinhua)