Bangladesh vaccinates 410,000 Rohingya children against typhoid
Nationwide drive includes Cox’s Bazar refugee camps for first time, achieving over 86pc coverage amid high-risk conditions of overcrowding and unsafe water
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Nearly half a million Rohingya children living in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar have been vaccinated against typhoid fever as part of Bangladesh’s nationwide Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) campaign, marking one of the largest immunization efforts ever undertaken in a refugee setting.
The dedicated phase of the campaign ran from 2 to 25 November 2025, targeting Rohingya children aged nine months to 15 years living in Ukhiya and Teknaf — areas considered among the most vulnerable locations for water-borne disease outbreaks.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), which provided technical support alongside national health authorities, the drive reached 410,345 children, achieving 86.3 percent coverage across all camps.
Public-health officials warn that typhoid remains a persistent threat within the overcrowded camps, where limited access to clean water, poor sanitation and fragile healthcare systems undermine disease prevention.
Surveillance data between January 2024 and November 2025 showed repeated seasonal spikes in suspected infections, with notable peaks in late 2024 and mid-2025, underscoring the urgency of preventive action.
The wider nationwide vaccination campaign, launched in October 2025, aims to immunize 50 million children across Bangladesh, protecting them from life-threatening drug-resistant typhoid strains.
The inclusion of Rohingya refugees reflects growing calls from global health advocates for refugee populations to be fully integrated into national vaccination plans rather than treated as parallel health systems.
Health workers credited extensive coordination between the Government of Bangladesh, WHO, humanitarian partners and community leaders for the smooth execution.
Training efforts involved 270 vaccinators and managers, who were instructed in safe injection practices, cold-chain management, reporting procedures and monitoring of post-vaccination reactions.
Rapid on-site monitoring allowed teams to resolve gaps in real time, while digital verification using UNHCR barcodes improved tracking accuracy.
Community engagement also played a pivotal role. Meetings with majhis (camp leaders) and religious figures helped dispel fears and encourage families to participate.
Many children arrived for vaccination in groups, recognizing the protection the vaccine offered. “I came with my younger brother to get the vaccine because we want to stay healthy,” said 10-year-old Nurul, describing the process as safe and reassuring.
WHO officials said the campaign represents a crucial step toward reducing severe and drug-resistant infections while strengthening outbreak preparedness.
Alongside sustained vaccination coverage, the organization emphasized improvements in water, sanitation and disease surveillance as essential components of long-term health protection for displaced populations.
Bangladesh hosts more than one million Rohingya refugees who fled mass violence in Myanmar in 2017. Health experts say their inclusion in national immunization systems demonstrates a model for equitable humanitarian response and global public-health cooperation.
Continued investment in routine immunization, surveillance systems and WASH infrastructure will determine the durability of recent gains.
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