8.9mn children register for typhoid vaccine as nationwide rollout looms

The vaccine campaign will run across 18 working days, with the first 10 days dedicated to school-based vaccination

Nearly 8.9 million children have registered for the typhoid vaccine in just a month and a half, as Bangladesh aims to vaccinate 50 million children aged 9 months to 15 years for the first time under a government initiative.

The national vaccination campaign will begin on Oct 12, with registration still ongoing, the health directorate Director General Md Abu Jafor said on Sunday.

Responding to questions about meeting the registration target, Jafor confirmed that the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) was actively working to increase registration figures and urged the public to register voluntarily.

He said, “Our target is nearly 50 million. If registration falls short, we will discuss and decide the next steps.”

Jafor acknowledged a lack of enthusiasm for registration, citing personal observations, including that even his family members were unaware of the registration process.

“I asked my grandchildren if they had registered, and they said no -- they are busy,” he said.

To boost awareness, the health directorate has collaborated with the Islamic Foundation, asking imams to promote the vaccination campaign during Friday sermons.

“Imams are respected figures in society, and if they address this issue, people will trust the programme and it will succeed,” he said.

The DGHS chief reassured the public that the vaccine posed no side effects, emphasising that like any other vaccine, it is safe to take. He also recommended that children stay at the vaccination centre for 30 minutes as a precautionary measure.

The vaccination will be administered over 18 working days, with the first 10 days focusing on schools and the remaining eight days at vaccination centres.

Registration began on Aug 1 and requires a 17-digit birth registration number.