Govt launches cholera vaccination drive in 14 high-risk areas
The campaign targets over 51 lakh people across the country
A two-dose oral cholera vaccination campaign has begun today (22 August) targeting more than 51 lakh people in 14 high-risk areas across the country to prevent the spread of cholera.
The first phase of the 'Preventive Oral Cholera Vaccination Campaign-2026' will continue until 21 September. The second dose will be administered from 26 September to 25 October, health authorities said.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), all healthy individuals aged one year and above are eligible to receive the vaccine free of charge. Pregnant women, however, are excluded from the campaign.
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Vaccinations will be administered daily from 8:00am to 5:00pm at designated vaccination centres and Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) booths.
In Dhaka South City Corporation, the campaign is being conducted in 17 wards across Lalbagh, Gandaria, Kadamtali and Kamrangirchar. Some 1.17 million people are expected to receive the vaccine at 192 centres across these areas.
The campaign is also being conducted in the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Khilkhet and Tejgaon areas of Dhaka North City Corporation, as well as in Munshiganj Sadar, Narayanganj Sadar, Karimganj, Hossainpur and Tarail upazilas of Kishoreganj district and Sadar and Nabinagar upazilas of Brahmanbaria district.
Professor Dr Md Halimur Rashid, director of the Disease Control Branch of the DGHS, said the decision to administer the cholera vaccine had been taken much earlier.
"This is not a decision taken suddenly," he said, adding that both doses must be completed for long-term protection.
According to relevant data, the vaccine can provide protection for approximately 3-5 years after completion of the two-dose schedule.
Dr Rashid further said research has found Euvichol-Plus to be safe and associated with relatively few side effects among the cholera vaccines currently in use. Some recipients may experience mild side effects, such as nausea or temporary diarrhoea.
He said the country's high-risk areas were identified through an analysis of Priority Areas for Multisectoral Intervention, using an analytical tool developed by the Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) in collaboration with the Global Task Force on Cholera Control.
Experts, however, stressed that vaccination alone cannot control cholera, urging people to ensure safe water, proper sanitation, covered food and regular handwashing.
Eligible citizens seeking the oral cholera vaccine must register through the 'https://vaxepi.gov.bd' website. They can also scan the provided QR code and complete the required registration details.
According to the World Health Organization, around 2.9 million cholera cases occur each year in endemic countries, causing approximately 95 000 deaths. Around 1.3 billion people remain at risk, with much of the burden concentrated in South Asia and Africa.
