For the first time in the country’s history, a nationwide typhoid vaccination campaign has been launched. The program aims to provide free injectable typhoid vaccines to around 50 million children aged between 9 months and under 15 years. The official inauguration took place on Saturday morning.
At 9:20 a.m., the campaign was formally inaugurated by Health and Family Welfare Adviser Nurjahan Begum at the Sir Salimullah Muslim Orphanage Center in Azimpur, Dhaka.
During the event, the health adviser said, “It is a matter of shame that children in our country still die from typhoid. Just as we have successfully prevented diseases like diarrhea and night blindness, we will also succeed in eradicating typhoid, InshaAllah.”
She added that the government’s current focus is on disease prevention. The more children are brought under immunization coverage, the less pressure there will be on hospitals. Typhoid, she said, is a disease that can be completely controlled through awareness and vaccination. If every child receives the vaccine, typhoid-related deaths in Bangladesh can be virtually eliminated, strengthening the country’s public health system.
Sharmin S. Murshid, Adviser to the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, attended the event as a special guest. She remarked, “This typhoid vaccination campaign is not just a health project—it’s a milestone for Bangladesh. For years, typhoid has been a silent threat, especially for children from low-income families. This initiative will bring about a major change in that reality.”
The month-long campaign will provide one dose of injectable typhoid vaccine free of charge to children aged between 9 months and under 15 years. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) confirmed that even children without birth certificates will be included in the program so that no one is left out.
This is the first national typhoid vaccination program in Bangladesh. The vaccine, manufactured by India’s Serum Institute, has been supplied to the government with the support of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi).