The government is set to include a single dose of the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) for 15-month-old children in the national Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) to ensure long-term protection against typhoid fever.
The nationwide vaccination activities are scheduled to commence on 1 August. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued directives to all divisional directors, civil surgeons, chief health officers of city corporations, and Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers to ensure necessary field-level preparations and implementation.
The EPI wing of the DGHS formalised this announcement in a notification issued on Monday. According to the directive, the decision to integrate this vaccine into the regular schedule follows the successful implementation of National TCV Campaign in 2025, alongside recommendations from the National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group and decisions by the Inter-Agency Coordination Committee.
Under the new guidelines, all children aged 15 months will receive one dose of TCV through permanent and temporary EPI centres. This vaccine can be administered simultaneously with the MR-2 (Measles-Rubella) dose during the same session.
Field workers have been tasked with identifying target children through door-to-door visits, determining vaccine requirements, and ensuring immunisation during scheduled sessions.
The DGHS has placed significant emphasis on digital integration, requiring child registration via “Vax: EPI” app, downloading of vaccine cards, and updating of information through “Smart Health BD/e-Tracker” app following administration. The upazila-level coordination meetings will be held to facilitate the simplification of birth registration processes.
Regarding logistics and vaccine management, the programme will utilise 5-dose vials, which must be stored and transported at temperatures between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. In accordance with the multi-dose vial policy, opened vials may be used in subsequent sessions under specific conditions to minimise vaccine wastage.
To bolster public awareness, the DGHS has called for intensified community engagement involving local representatives, teachers, imams, and religious and community leaders. Strategies will include door-to-door communication, miking, courtyard meetings, and interpersonal outreach to educate parents about the typhoid vaccine.
The DGHS underscored that this programme must be implemented with the highest priority at all levels to secure long-term protection for the nation’s children against typhoid fever.
