DNCC to launch month-long typhoid vaccination drive for 1.2mn children on Oct 12

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is set to launch a large-scale immunisation drive to administer typhoid vaccines to around 1.2 million children to curb the spread of the disease.

The campaign will run from Oct 12 to Nov 13 across 10 regions under the DNCC's jurisdiction.

Announcing the details at a media briefing in Gulshan on Wednesday, DNCC’s Chief Health Officer Brig Gen Imrul Kayes Chowdhury said vaccines would be administered over 18 working days at schools and community centres.

As many as 760,790 students from 2,181 educational institutions and 533,279 local children will be immunised during the drive, according to him.

“From the 12th to the 30th of October, vaccinations will take place at schools, excluding Fridays and public holidays. From the 13th of October to the 13th of November, vaccines will also be available at permanent Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) centres, and from the 1st to 13th of November, at satellite or outreach EPI centres,” he said.

Each vaccination team will include two vaccinators and three volunteers, operating from 8am to 3:30pm daily.

The official said that even children without birth registration numbers could receive vaccines by visiting the nearest vaccination centre or school, where staff would help complete the process manually.

The DNCC will officially launch the programme at Dhaka Residential Model College, with its Administrator Mohammad Azaz attending as chief guest.