Bangladesh has begun a nationwide vaccination campaign to protect millions of children from typhoid, a life-threatening disease that is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
The monthlong drive, launched on Sunday, aims to immunise about 50 million children aged between nine months and 15 years with a single dose of the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV).
The vaccine, approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), offers protection for up to five years and is being distributed free under the government’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).
The campaign follows mounting concerns over drug-resistant typhoid strains spreading across South Asia. Pakistan has been battling a strain since 2016 that is resistant to nearly all antibiotics except one.
Health workers in Bangladesh are administering the vaccine through schools, clinics, and door-to-door visits, prioritising urban slums and remote villages. The campaign will run until November 13, after which TCV will be included in the country’s regular immunisation schedule.
Typhoid, caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria, spreads through contaminated food and water. It triggers fever, abdominal pain, and nausea, and can cause fatal complications if untreated.
Researchers in Bangladesh have recently identified ceftriaxone-resistant strains – a worrying development, as ceftriaxone remains one of the last effective treatments.
Experts warn that without preventive action, resistant strains could make typhoid far harder to manage. Supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the campaign aims to lower infection rates and limit the spread of resistance.
Inaugurating the drive, the government’s health adviser, Nurjahan Begum, said it was “shameful” that children still die from typhoid in Bangladesh. She expressed hope that the country would defeat the disease as it did diarrhoea and night blindness.
Officials highlighted the vaccine’s strong safety record in neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Nepal, and in India’s Mumbai, where no major side effects were reported.
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