A major national immunisation drive targeting over 5.17 million people is set to launch on 22 August to provide critical protection against cholera across 14 high-risk upazilas and thanas in Bangladesh.
The “Preventive Oral Cholera Vaccination Campaign 2026” was officially inaugurated on Thursday by Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain at the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) auditorium.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, the minister declared the campaign open and urged public cooperation to make the national effort a success.
The campaign will be executed in two phases – the first dose will be administered from 22 August to 21 September, followed by the second dose from 26 September to 25 October. To ensure complete protection, citizens must receive both doses with a minimum interval of 14 days.
All individuals aged one year and older (excluding pregnant women) are eligible to receive the oral vaccine free of charge between 8am and 5pm daily.
In the capital, the campaign will target approximately 1.17 million people under DSCC, utilising 192 centres across 17 wards in four thanas – Lalbagh, Gendaria, Kadamtali, and Kamrangirchar.
The immunisation programme will also extend to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Khilkhet, and Tejgaon under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), as well as designated areas within Munshiganj, Kishoreganj, Narayanganj, and Brahmanbaria districts.
Speaking on the occasion, the health minister noted that while cholera once devastated entire villages in the past, it is currently well under control. However, he cautioned that recent outbreaks require everyone to remain highly vigilant.
He expressed hope that this campaign would mirror the success of other national vaccination initiatives and highly commended DSCC for its recent successful efforts in controlling dengue.
DSCC Administrator Md Abdus Salam assured that the corporation would leverage its extensive experience in successfully implementing Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in densely populated areas, such as Old Dhaka, to ensure flawless execution of the cholera campaign in the designated 17 wards.
The oral vaccine provides three to five years of robust protection against the disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, significantly reducing the severity of symptoms. Health authorities have reinforced that alongside vaccination, citizens must continue to consume safe drinking water and strictly adhere to proper hygiene standards.
The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Health Services Division Additional Secretary Sheikh Momena Moni, DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md Khaybor Rahman, UNICEF Deputy Representative Peter Maes, WHO Representative Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Secretary General Md Habibur Rahman Khan, icddr,b Senior Scientist Firdausi Qadri, and Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Additional Director General (Administration) Dr Md Zahid Raihan.
