Nationwide typhoid vaccination begins Sunday for the first time in Bangladesh
Under this government initiative, around 4.9 crore children and adolescents will receive the vaccine free of cost. Children without birth certificates will also be eligible for the vaccine. The month-long campaign will continue until 13 November.
For the first time in Bangladesh, a nationwide typhoid vaccination campaign will begin on Sunday (12 October).
Under this government initiative, around 4.9 crore children and adolescents will receive the vaccine free of cost. Children without birth certificates will also be eligible for the vaccine. The month-long campaign will continue until 13 November.
The Typhoid Vaccination Campaign 2025 will be inaugurated at 9am tomorrow at Sir Salimullah Muslim Orphanage in Azimpur by Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum. Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmin S Murshid will attend as a special guest.
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At Residential Model School and College, the campaign will be inaugurated by Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar, Adviser to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
At Viqarunnisa Noon School, Professor Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Health, will be present.
Dr Abul Fazal Md Shahabuddin Khan, programme manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), told The Business Standard that the vaccination will be administered at 10,000 educational institutions across the country from 9am to 2:30pm on Sunday.
From Monday onwards, vaccinations will be given from 8am to 2:30pm daily.
Who will receive the vaccine?
Children aged 9 months to under 15 years are eligible.
Under the campaign, all students from pre-primary to class nine (or equivalent) will receive one dose of the typhoid vaccine at their respective schools or Madrasa.
Children not enrolled in school can get vaccinated at EPI vaccination centres.
Various NGOs will be responsible for vaccinating street children in urban areas.
Doctors have advised parents to ensure children are well-fed before visiting vaccination centres.
Why is this vaccination important?
"The typhoid vaccine that will be given in Bangladesh is pre-qualified, safe, and tested by the World Health Organisation (WHO)," said Prof Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser on the Ministry of Health, at a press briefing on Thursday.
Prof Rahman emphasised the urgency of the campaign, noting that typhoid causes high mortality among children. Citing a 2021 study, he said about 8,000 people died of typhoid in Bangladesh that year, and 68% (around 6,000) of them were under 15 years old.
The nationwide drive aims to curb infections and reduce deaths caused by Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Typhoid, against which many traditional antibiotics have become ineffective.
Sayedur Rahman also mentioned that the vaccine has shown a proven safety record in other countries, having been used successfully in Pakistan (2019), Nepal (2022), and Mumbai, India, with no major adverse reactions reported.
The vaccine has been developed by the Serum Institute of India, and Bangladesh has received the doses through Gavi, the international vaccine alliance.
How to register
To register for vaccination, visit: https://vaxepi.gov.bd/registration/tcv.
You'll need to enter the 17-digit birth registration number to register. After registration, you can download the vaccination card using the same birth certificate number. The registration process began on 1 August.
Children without a birth certificate can still register with the help of local health workers at vaccination centres.
So far, 1.68 crore (16.8 million) children have registered for the vaccine, and registration remains open.
