icddr,b, under the supervision of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), will administer the second dose of oral cholera vaccine from August 3-10. It will administer the second dose of oral cholera vaccine from 8am until 4pm (except Friday, 5 August and Ashura Day on Tuesday, 9 August). A total of 2.36 million residents of Jatrabari, Dakshin Khan, Sabujbagh, Mohammadpur and Mirpur of Dhaka city who received the first-dose of oral cholera vaccination will be given the second-dose during this vaccination drive. Those who received the first-dose between 26 June and 2 July can receive the second-dose by presenting their vaccine card at their respective vaccine centres.      Also read: 2.4 million Dhaka residents to receive oral cholera vaccine in one week On this occasion, the Director of Disease Control and Line Director Disease Control Programme, DGHS, Professor Dr Mohammad Nazmul Islam, said they have received an overwhelming response from the residents of five areas of Dhaka and have been able to vaccinate a record number of residents in a very short time. “We hope that those who have received the first dose of cholera vaccine must protect themselves against the disease by receiving the second dose as well,” he said. Dr Firdausi Qadri, Senior Scientist and Acting Senior Director of Infectious Diseases Division at icddr,b urged everyone to get vaccinated with the oral cholera vaccine, and maintain disease preventive measures such as the use of safe water, safe sanitation and personal hygiene, to be protected from many infectious diseases including diarrhoea. The two-dose Euvichol-Plus Cholera vaccine produced by EuBiologics Co. Ltd., South Korea, which is given at least 14 days apart, will be administered to those who are above one year of age. Also read: Cholera vaccination drive to begin from Jun 26: Health Minister This vaccine is prequalified by the World Health Organization, and can be given to all except pregnant women and those who have received any other vaccine within the last 14 days. icddr,b is undertaking the largest cholera vaccination campaign with support from the Dhaka North and South City Corporation and under the supervision of the DGHS. The campaign is also supported by the National Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), World Health Organization, UNICEF, International Red Cross and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, and MSF. It is being funded by The Vaccine Alliance, GAVI. The vaccination drive is being implemented through 700 vaccination centres in Jatrabari, Dakshin Khan, Sabujbagh, Mohammadpur and Mirpur. Residents of these areas are being urged to take precautionary measures against COVID-19 while taking the cholera vaccine to prevent the disease and to assist in the vaccination campaign.

About 2.4 million people in five areas of Dhaka city will receive oral cholera vaccine in one week starting Sunday, according to the icddr,b. The first dose of the cholera vaccine has been scheduled to be given from 8am to 4pm. Health Minister Zahid Maleque today inaugurated the country's largest oral cholera vaccination campaign at the icddr,b in Mohakhali. In Bangladesh, generally, there are two outbreaks of diarrhoea that take place during April-May and August-September. The number of diarrhoeal patients in Dhaka during March-May this year was many times higher than in the past. More than half of these patients were from areas such as Jatrabari, Dakshin Khan, Sabujbagh, Mohammadpur and Mirpur. During this time, the number of cholera patients rose to about 34 percent among all patients. Read: Health Minister concerned over uptick in Covid, urges return to protocols So, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) urged the Intersectoral Coordination Group (ICG) to provide vaccines for the "reactive cholera vaccination programme." In response, the ICG provided about 4.5 million doses of oral cholera vaccines. The icddr,b is undertaking the cholera vaccination campaign with support from Dhaka North and South City Corporation and under the supervision of the DGHS. The two-dose Euvichol-Plus Cholera vaccine produced by EuBiologics Co, South Korea, which is given at least 14 days apart, will be administered to those who are above one year of age. This vaccine is prequalified by the World Health Organization and can be given to all except pregnant women and those who have received other vaccines within the last 14 days. A target has been set to vaccinate about 5 lakh residents of Jatrabari, 4.2 lakh in Sabujbagh, 2.8 lakh in Dakshin Khan, 7.8 lakh in Mirpur and 4 lakh in Mohammadpur.