United News of Bangladesh

The government on Thursday launched a Preventive Oral Cholera Vaccination (POCV) campaign with a target to inoculate over 51 lakh people against the disease across high-risk areas of the capital and three districts. Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain inaugurated the campaign as the chief guest at an auditorium of the Dhaka South City Corporation in the morning. Under the campaign, the first dose will be administered from August 22 to September 21, while the second dose will be given from September 26 to October 25. Vaccination will run from 8:00am to 5:00pm, covering everyone aged one year and above, excluding pregnant women. The campaign covers 14 upazilas and thanas identified as high and very-high cholera risk zones in Dhaka's two city corporations and the districts of Kishoreganj, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Brahmanbaria. Under Dhaka South City Corporation, vaccination will be carried out in Lalbagh, Gandaria, Kadamtali and Kamrangirchar thanas, while Dhaka North City Corporation's Tejgaon, Khilkhet and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar thanas are also included. Outside Dhaka, the drive covers Munshiganj Sadar, Narayanganj Sadar, Brahmanbaria Sadar and Nabinagar, and Kishoreganj's Karimganj, Hossainpur and Tarail upazilas. Officials said both doses are mandatory for adequate protection against cholera. The campaign is being led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and implemented by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, WHO, IFRC, icddr,b and other development and implementing partners. Speaking at the launch, the minister said a vaccination programme achieves the highest public health impact only when it reaches as many eligible people as possible. He urged guardians, teachers, community leaders, health workers, volunteers and the media to help ensure accurate information reaches the public and rumours are addressed properly. Sakhawat also called for continued efforts on safe drinking water, proper food storage and preparation, handwashing, sanitation and personal hygiene, describing these, alongside vaccination, as the sustainable basis for cholera prevention and control. Eligible citizens can register for the vaccine by visiting the website vaxepi.gov.bd or scanning a QR code and filling in the required information. Officials said the registration process will also allow citizens to create their National Health ID cards, which will support access to digital health services in future. The government expressed gratitude to all development and implementing partners for their support.

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.