Photo : Collected

DHAKA, Aug 29, 2026 (BSS)- Fatema Akter today brought her four-year-old daughter Nawrin Akter Jui from Doitala Mosque area of Lalbagh to Azimpur Maternity and Child Health Training Institute to receive an oral cholera vaccine.

Talking to BSS, Fatema said her daughter often suffered from stomach problems despite following advice to wash her hands before eating, prepare food with safe water and take boiled drinking water.

“I used to do all these things, but it did not help much. My daughter continued to suffer from stomach problems,” she said, thanking the government for arranging free cholera vaccination.

At the vaccination centre, Poly Sarker, a resident of Azimpur Government Colony, was relieved after having her two-year-old son Arnab Sarker vaccinated.

“My son remains unwell throughout the year and stomach problem is a regular issue. He has received the first dose of the cholera vaccine. I will bring him for second dose on the 26th of next month,” she said, thanking the government for taking the initiative ahead of the schedule.

At the Azimpur Maternity vaccination centre, Tahmina Akter was seen administering the oral vaccine to people of different ages with care.
“We started the vaccination programme in the morning. People from the area are coming spontaneously, registering their names and taking the vaccine. They have been asked to come after one month for second dose of the vaccine. 

Under the Preventive Oral Cholera Vaccination Campaign-2026, some 5.175 million people in high-risk areas are being given the oral cholera vaccine in two doses.

The vaccine, named Euvichol-Plus, is being provided free of charge to all citizens aged one year and above, except pregnant women to prevent cholera.

According to officials of the Health Ministry, the first dose is being administered from August 22 to September 21 while the second dose will be given from September 26 to October 25. The vaccination programme has begun in 14 high-risk upazilas and thanas across the country.

In the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) area, around 1.17 million people in 17 wards under Lalbagh, Gandaria, Kadamtali and Kamrangirchar thanas are being vaccinated at 192 centres.

The campaign is also being conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Khilkhet and Tejgaon under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), as well as in Munshiganj Sadar, Karimganj, Hossainpur and Tarail in Kishoreganj, Narayanganj Sadar and Brahmanbaria Sadar and Nabinagar upazilas.

The first phase of the vaccination programme began on August 22 with the support of ICDDR,B, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and Red Crescent Society.

Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain inaugurated the vaccination campaign on August 20. He said science-based analysis had been given priority in selecting the areas for cholera vaccination.

Visiting several vaccination centres, BSS found that designated workers are engaged in different stages of the process. One worker is registering the names; another worker was completing online registration, while third worker was administering the vaccine after registration.

Other workers have been distributing leaflets among the residents around the temporary centres and encouraging them to take the cholera vaccine. They were also explaining the benefits of the vaccination.

At a vaccination centre in Ward No-24 of Tejgaon under the DNCC, Azizur Rahman was seen brought his two sons, aged seven and three and a half years to receive the vaccine.

After his children were vaccinated, Azizur said he had been worried about dengue and measles in recent days. 

“I am very worried about dengue and measles. If diarrhoea starts again, it will create another problem. I am happy that both my sons have received the first dose of the cholera vaccine. Much of my anxiety has gone. I will have to bring them for the second dose on the 26th of next month,” he said.

Director of the Disease Control Branch of the Directorate of the Health Services, Prof. Dr Halimur Rashid told BSS that vaccination is currently underway in 14 upazilas in the first phase.

“Later, the vaccine will be administered in phases in a total of 144 high-risk upazilas,” he said adding that the vaccine, given in two doses, would remain effective for three to five years.
According to the World Health Organization, around 2.9 million people worldwide contract cholera every year, while approximately 95,000 die from the disease. Nearly 1.3 billion people remain at risk of cholera, most of them in Africa and South Asia.

A research paper by researchers from ICDDR,B and several international universities found that a total of 6,141 cholera cases were recorded in Dhaka between 2004 and 2024.

The study showed that the highest number of cases was recorded between 2004 and 2008. Although the number subsequently declined, it began rising again between 2019 and 2024.