First nationwide typhoid vaccination campaign begins

A month-long nationwide typhoid vaccination campaign for children aged between nine months to 15 years began on Sunday across the country.

The first of a kind campaign, set to be continued until November 13, will provide a single dose of the vaccine free of charge to 4.9 million children.

School students from pre-primary to ninth grade will get the vaccine at their respective educational institutions.

However, those who are out of school can get the vaccine at regular EPI vaccination centers at the community level.

Typhoid is a serious infectious disease that spreads through contaminated water and food. Its prevalence is highest among children in Bangladesh and multi-drug resistant typhoid is becoming a cause of great concern.

This Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV), approved by the World Health Organization, is safe, effective (about 85 per cent) and is already being used successfully in several countries including Nepal and Pakistan, according to the DGHS.

Registration can be done at www.vaxepi.gov.bd with the 17-digit birth registration number.

DGHS has called for collective efforts of every one to ensure that every child receives the typhoid vaccine.

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

At a briefing, Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor Prof Md. Sayedur Rahman told the reporters that the vaccine was approved by the WHO and it is safe.

There are no examples of major side effects of this vaccine. If typhoid decreases, the use of antibiotics in the country will decrease as antibiotics are used to treat typhoid, he said.

In the country, 478,000 people were infected with typhoid in 2021. Of these, 8,000 died, 68 per cent of whom were children.

Vaccination in educational institutions will continue until October 30. Apart from this, all children aged 9 months to 15 years will be vaccinated door-to-door. Moreover, NGOs will vaccinate street children in urban areas.

This registration is ongoing, with 168 million children already registering for vaccination. Children who do not have a birth certificate or birth registration can also register for vaccination with the help of health workers at the nearest vaccination center.

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