Dhaka: Bangladesh has launched a nationwide vaccination campaign to protect millions of children against typhoid, a potentially fatal disease increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
The monthlong drive, inaugurated on Sunday, aims to immunise around 50 million children aged between nine months and 15 years with a single dose of the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV).
Approved by the World Health Organization (WHO), the vaccine protects for up to five years and is being distributed free under the government’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).
The campaign comes amid growing concern over drug-resistant typhoid strains spreading across South Asia. Pakistan has been grappling with a strain resistant to nearly all antibiotics since 2016, leaving only one effective treatment. In Bangladesh, researchers have recently detected ceftriaxone-resistant strains, raising alarms as ceftriaxone is one of the last reliable treatments for severe cases.
Nationwide Typhoid Vaccination Campaign Launched!
On 12 October 2025, Under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the EPI has officially launched the nationwide campaign. pic.twitter.com/gfaUr8blJq— World Health Organization Bangladesh (@WHO_BD) October 12, 2025
Health workers are administering the vaccine through schools, clinics, and door-to-door visits, prioritising urban slums and remote villages. The drive will continue until November 13, after which TCV will be incorporated into the country’s regular immunisation schedule.
Typhoid, caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria, spreads through contaminated food and water. The infection can trigger high fever, abdominal pain, and nausea, and may lead to fatal complications if untreated. Experts warn that without preventive measures, antibiotic-resistant strains could make the disease far more difficult to control.
Supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the campaign aims to reduce infection rates and curb the spread of resistance. Nurjahan Begum, the government’s health adviser, called it shameful that children still die from typhoid in Bangladesh, adding that the country hopes to defeat the disease as it did with diarrhoea and night blindness.
