Nationwide cholera vaccination campaign begins today

A nationwide oral cholera vaccination campaign began on Saturday (August 22) to prevent cholera and reduce the health risks associated with the disease.

The first dose of the two-dose vaccine is being administered in 14 high-risk upazilas and police station areas across the country from August 22 to September 21.

The campaign was formally inaugurated on Thursday morning at the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) auditorium by Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the second dose will be administered from September 26 to October 25, following the required interval after the first dose.

Everyone aged one year and above will be eligible for the vaccine free of charge under the campaign. Pregnant women, however, will be excluded due to safety considerations.

Vaccination will be available at designated centres from 8am to 5pm every day. Authorities have set a target of vaccinating 5.175 million people nationwide.

In Dhaka South, the campaign will cover 17 designated wards in Lalbagh, Gandaria, Kadamtali and Kamrangirchar through 192 centres, targeting around 1.17 million people.

The campaign will also cover selected areas under Dhaka North City Corporation, including Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Khilkhet and Tejgaon, as well as identified high-risk areas in Munshiganj, Kishoreganj, Narayanganj and Brahmanbaria districts.

Cholera is caused by infection with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Health experts say oral cholera vaccines can help prevent infection and reduce the severity of the disease. They have also urged people to drink safe water, keep food properly covered and maintain good hand hygiene alongside vaccination.