Nationwide typhoid vaccination campaign begins for 4.9cr children

The first-ever nationwide typhoid vaccination campaign began this morning, targeting around 4.9 crore children aged between nine months and under 15 years.

Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum formally inaugurated the campaign at the Sir Salimullah Muslim Orphanage in Azimpur, Dhaka.

The month-long campaign, offering free injectable typhoid vaccines, will continue across the country until November 13.

Photo: Prabir Das

Children who do not have a birth certificate will also be able to receive the vaccine.

The vaccine has been developed by the Serum Institute of India. The government has received the vaccine from Gavi, the international platform for vaccines.

Photo: Prabir Das

Talking to journalists, Professor Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, "The vaccine is safe and approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). It has been administered in eight other countries, including Nepal and Pakistan. There are no reports of major side effects of the vaccine."

The DGHS reports that Bangladesh has a higher rate of typhoid infection than many other countries.

Around 4.78 lakh people are infected with typhoid in Bangladesh every year, and about 8,000 of them die, according to the Global Burden of Disease Survey 2021. Of these deaths, 68 percent are children, it added.

Amid this situation, the government has decided to launch the country's first-ever typhoid vaccination campaign to protect children from the disease.

This is the first time such a large number of children have been targeted for vaccination within a single month, DGHS officials said.