Islamic Foundation & UNICEF Plan Nationwide Typhoid Vaccination Campaign
The Islamic Foundation Dhaka Divisional Office, with UNICEF's backing, organised a crucial meeting on 30 September to plan and advocate for the Typhoid Vaccination Campaign 2025. The event aimed to combat typhoid fever, which affects around 290 people per 100,000 population in Bangladesh, with children being particularly vulnerable.
The meeting, chaired by Abdul Salam Khan, Director General of the Islamic Foundation, saw the participation of senior Qawmi scholars, representatives from Qawmi education boards, the Imam Training Academy, model mosques, women's madrasas, field supervisors, and teachers from mosque-based child education programmes. Md Rezzakul Haider, Director of the Imam Training Academy, joined as a special guest, expressing commitment to raising awareness and ensuring the success of the nationwide vaccination drive.
The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) will administer the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) free of charge for children aged between nine months and under 15 years. The Ministry of Health has introduced TCV for routine immunisation, following the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO). A UNICEF representative also attended the meeting, lending support to the campaign.
The advocacy and planning meeting aimed to strengthen community outreach and awareness, with participants from various districts and organisations across Dhaka Division. With the introduction of TCV and the support of key stakeholders, the campaign seeks to reduce typhoid cases significantly, particularly among children.
