The government will introduce the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) into the routine Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) from August 1. All children aged 15 months will receive a single dose of the vaccine to provide long-term protection against typhoid fever. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued implementation guidelines to ensure the smooth rollout nationwide.
Implementation Guidelines Issued
The DGHS has provided implementation guidelines and preparatory instructions to various health authorities, including divisional directors, civil surgeons, chief health officers of city corporations, and upazila health and family planning officers. This is to ensure the vaccine's smooth introduction into the routine immunization programme.
Vaccination Schedule and Logistics
Under the new schedule, all children aged 15 months will receive one dose of TCV at permanent and temporary EPI vaccination centres. The vaccine can also be administered during the same session as the second dose of the Measles-Rubella (MR-2) vaccine. Field workers have been instructed to identify eligible children through house-to-house visits and ensure vaccination during scheduled sessions.
Awareness and Registration
The directive emphasized registering children in the Vax: EPI app, downloading vaccination cards, and updating vaccination information through the Smart Health BD/e-Tracker app after vaccine administration. Authorities have been instructed to take measures to facilitate birth registration through coordination meetings at the upazila level.
Vaccine Management and Awareness
Regarding vaccine management, the directive stated that five-dose vials will be used under the routine programme, and the vaccine must be stored and transported at a temperature between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. The notification also called for strengthening awareness among parents about the typhoid vaccine through various communication methods.
