23.70 lakh get cholera vaccines in the capital

Around 23.70 lakh people in five selected areas of Dhaka have received first dose each of oral vaccines against Cholera during a week-long campaign that ended yesterday.

The five areas were Jatrabari, Sabujbag, Mirpur, Mohammadpur and Dakshinkhan.

"We've successfully vaccinated the targeted number of people in the areas without any complications," said Dr Anindya Rahman, an official at the Center for Disease Control unit at DGHS. The drive was conducted under the government's "National Cholera Control Programme", funded by WHO and implemented by icddr,b. The campaign for the second dose will start from July 16, said officials.

The vaccine will give immunity against cholera to the receivers for the next two years, they said.