Only 31% of targeted children registered for typhoid vaccination in Kishoreganj

Only 31 percent of children targeted for the upcoming typhoid vaccination programme in Kishoreganj have registered so far, officials said today, raising concerns ahead of the campaign launch on October 12.

The campaign aims to provide a free dose of the typhoid vaccine to children and adolescents aged nine months to 15 years. Out of 9,56,774 children in the district, only 3,03,365 had registered online by 3:00 pm today, according to the district civil surgeon's office.

Medical Officer Dr Pallab Kumar Debnath said district and upazila administrations, along with the health department, are working to boost registration.

Civil Surgeon Dr Abhijit Sharma added that children without prior registration can still receive the vaccine through manual registration at vaccination centres, and their details will later be added online.

Registration has been particularly low in Qawmi madrasas and remote areas, including haor regions and temporary settlements of the Bede community.

There are 3,978 secondary-level educational institutions across 13 upazilas, including 938 Qawmi madrasas.

Officials cited limited publicity and lack of awareness among parents and teachers as key reasons for the low registration rate.

Vaccination will be carried out at 19 permanent and 2,734 temporary centres across the district. Md Saidur Rahman, secretary of the Health Services Division, is scheduled to visit Kishoreganj on Friday and Saturday to inspect preparations.

WHO representative Dr Azizul Haque Tanzil noted that the vaccine, which costs Tk 4,000–4,500 in the market, is being provided free through the campaign with support from WHO, Unicef, and Gavi.

Officials urged parents and guardians to ensure their children are registered and vaccinated to protect against typhoid.