Nepal introduces typhoid vaccine into routine vaccination across the country
KATHMANDU: APRIL. 8 – The Government of Nepal yesterday launched a new vaccine campaign, introducing Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) into the country’s routine immunization program, with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO, UNICEF, and other partners.
The three-week campaign, which will run from April 8th to May 1st, 2022, aims to reach all children aged 15 months to 15 years in order to achieve faster typhoid protection, increase the impact of vaccine introduction, and combat the rise of antimicrobial resistance.
Over 50,000 vaccination sites, including schools, have been established across the country in both rural and urban areas. TCV will be introduced into the routine immunization schedule immediately following the campaign and will be administered to children as early as 15 months of age.
“Congratulations to the Government of Nepal on this milestone; the introduction of the TCV will ensure the lives of thousands of children are protected across the country for years to come, as well as helping to combat the rise of antimicrobial resistance.
This is also a great opportunity to leverage this introduction to identify and reach those children being missed by other life-saving vaccines and essential health services,” said Anuradha Gupta, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Nepal is a typhoid-endemic country, with one of the highest typhoid burdens in the world. With the nationwide rollout, children under the age of 15 in the country will now have free access to the vaccine.
“Vaccines are among the best investments we can make to give every child a healthy start in life,” said UNICEF Representative to Nepal Elke Wisch. “The introduction of the Typhoid-Conjugate Vaccine into Nepal’s national immunization program will save the lives of thousands of Nepalese children and is critical to addressing the country’s high typhoid burden in children.”
This expansion and further strengthening of routine vaccination services in Nepal is particularly timely in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, given the widespread impact it has had on regular health services.”
The TCV campaign will also strengthen and promote routine vaccination in Nepal by identifying children aged 15 to 23 months who have missed other routine vaccines and ensuring they have access to these vaccines in order to become fully vaccinated and protected.
Based on the lessons learned from the successful Measles Rubella Campaign in 2020, the TCV campaign will also be used to identify zero-dose children – children who have not received a single dose of basic diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccine. Children who receive zero doses face multiple deprivations and are indicators of acute inequities.
Children out of school will be identified through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and caregivers will be educated and informed about where to go for routine vaccination through the support of local leadership and health workers. Good hygiene behavior will also be promoted throughout the campaign to help prevent the spread of the virus.
“The Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine is highly efficacious and its introduction in Nepal will significantly reduce the burden of typhoid disease among children in the country,“ said WHO Representative to Nepal, Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav. “Additionally, typhoid vaccination can slow the expansion of drug-resistant strains which is an emerging global health issue.
Along with vaccination campaigns, Nepal must also strengthen surveillance for antimicrobial resistance, and work on improvement of sanitation and access to safe drinking water.”
Nepal is the fourth Gavi-supported country to incorporate TCV into its routine immunization program. Pakistan, Liberia, and Zimbabwe have all implemented the vaccine, with assistance from Gavi and partners such as UNICEF.
Other efforts to control the disease, such as health education, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) improvements, and training of health professionals in diagnosis and treatment, should be encouraged and implemented in countries in addition to typhoid vaccination programs.
According to the Global Burden of Disease study, there were at least 82,449 typhoid cases and 919 typhoid deaths in Nepal in 2019.
