Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum said that all children across Bangladesh will have access to the typhoid vaccine in a nationwide immunisation campaign starting 12 October, regardless of whether they have a birth certificate.
Speaking at a national advocacy meeting for the Typhoid Vaccination Campaign 2025, held at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed Convention Centre in Shahbagh, Dhaka on Tuesday, health adviser called the ongoing child deaths and disabilities from typhoid ‘unacceptable’ in a country that has successfully tackled diseases like diarrhoea and night blindness.
“Though delayed, we have now begun the typhoid vaccination campaign. Ensuring 100 pr cent coverage and access is our responsibility and I believe we will success,” she said.
Nurjahan stress the need for stronger public awareness, noting the campaign’s limited visibility even in her own household. It’s our moral duty to make sure no child is left out. Whether or not they have a birth certificate, every child must be included, she added.
Speaking at the event Dr Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, “Vaccination has been the most successful programme in our health sector. Typhoid vaccination could eventually be integrated into the regular EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization). We want to strengthen our vaccination workforce by involving medical and nursing college students and interns.”
The event was chaired by Health Secretary Mohammad Saidur Rahman. Director General of Directorate General of Health Services Md Abu Jafor, Additional Secretary of the Public Health wing of the health ministry ATM Saiful Islam, Director General of the NGO Affairs Bureau Daud Miah, Unicef representative Dipika Sharma and Deputy Representative of the World Health Organisation Dr Rajesh Narwal, among others, spoke at the meeting.
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) and Unicef are supporting the campaign.
So far, nearly two crore children have already been registered. Authorities confirmed that even unregistered children will receive the vaccine during the campaign, although registration is strongly encouraged.
