Speakers at a press briefing here today at the Rajshahi City Corporation conference hall. . Photo : BSS

RAJSHAHI, Sept 24, 2025 (BSS) - Speakers at a press briefing here today unanimously said creating awareness among the masses is crucial to make the forthcoming typhoid vaccination campaign successful. 

Mass media can play a vital role in this regard, they said at a press conference ahead of the typhoid vaccination campaign, scheduled to start next month, at the conference hall of the divisional comissioner office. 

At the briefing, Commissioner of Rajshahi division and RCC Administrator Khondoker Azim Ahmed said online registration is mandatory for the vaccine. So, the media can generate awareness among the general public, particularly the guardians of the targeted children, to make the registration a total success. 

He said there are no significant side effects of the vaccine. "We have to remain alert so that no one can create confusion in this regard," he added. 

During her keynote presentation, RCC Chief Health Officer Dr FAM Anjuman Ara Begum gave an illustration on the campaign. 

She said the campaign is planned to run for 18 working days, with initial doses at 278 schools from October 12 to 30 and subsequent doses in 240 EPI centres from November 1 to 13. 

Like other parts of the country, the RCC will begin the typhoid vaccination campaign on October 12, targeting 135,127 children aged between 9 months and under 16 years. 

The campaign, under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), will roll out in two phases: first through school-based camps for 10 working days, followed by eight days at EPI centres for children who miss the school campaign. 

Parents can register online using a 17-digit birth registration number to obtain a vaccine card; those without birth certificates can register with a parent's mobile number and receive written proof of vaccination. 

The single-dose injectable typhoid conjugate vaccine, supplied by Gavi, provides protection for 3 to 7 years and is proven safe with no major side effects. 

Divisional Coordinator of World Health Organization Dr Muhammad Kamruzzaman, Divisional Coordinator of UNICEF Towfique Ahmed and EPI Specialist of UNICEF Dr Rezaur Rahman also spoke on the occasion. 

Health officials urged parents to take advantage of this free government initiative to protect their children against typhoid, a disease linked to poor sanitation and unsafe water.