16% children ‍still deprived of vaccination: Study

The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) coverage has not risen above 84% in the last 12 years and 16% of children are still deprived of vaccination, according to a study report disclosed at an event at the National Press Club today.

The event, titled "Successes, Existing Challenges, and Future Actions of the Vaccination Programme in Bangladesh",  was jointly organised by Shastho Shurokkha Foundation and UNICEF Bangladesh to present findings of three research studies. 

Under the joint initiative of Shastho Shurokkha Foundation and UNICEF Bangladesh, and with the support of the EPI, the independent research reports were prepared in 2024.

The keynote presentation was delivered by Dr Nizam Uddin Ahmed, executive director of Shastho Shurokkha Foundation and director of the research project, who discussed the current challenges of Bangladesh's vaccination programme and potential solutions.

Dr Nizam said Bangladesh has made significant progress in immunisation activities over the past 45 years and has also been able to make significant progress in eliminating or controlling vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs).

Statistics from the EPI Coverage Evaluation Survey 2019 showed that the coverage of the EPI in Bangladesh was less than 2% in 1984, which is currently 84%. 

However, there is a difference in coverage across rural and urban areas. In 2019, full vaccine coverage in urban areas was 79.2%, and in rural areas it was 85%.

The research found that approximately 40% of positions allocated for urban and rural vaccination projects under the ministry remain vacant, along with 43% of positions at the EPI headquarters. 

Additionally, the allocated workforce is insufficient to meet the needs. There is also an unequal distribution of vaccination centres based on population density, particularly in remote and high-risk areas, where the number of centres remains inadequate.