Bara — Jeetpursimara Sub-Metropolitan City is set to launch a five-day cholera vaccination campaign starting October 13 (Asoj 27) in an effort to protect the community from the rapidly spreading disease.
According to Public Health Officer Rabi Kumar Bhaskar, who heads the Health and Social Development Division, the municipality aims to vaccinate around 128,000 people. The oral cholera vaccine will be given to everyone above one year of age within the sub-metropolitan area.
In preparation for the campaign, a meeting of the
municipal-level vaccination coordination committee and an interaction programme
with journalists was held at Shree Nepal
National Secondary School in Simara.
During the event, Mayor Rajan Paudel, Chief Administrative Officer Shantiraj Prasai, and WHO representative Sagar Tiwari shared their views, stressing
the importance of timely vaccination to prevent further spread of the disease.
The cholera vaccine will be available at all 25 health facilities within Jeetpursimara. Additionally, vaccination booths will be set up in schools and industrial establishments to ensure wider coverage.
Mayor Paudel also informed that community schools, which are currently closed,
will be opened for two days to facilitate the vaccination drive.
The campaign follows alarming reports of cholera
spreading rapidly in Parsa district. After the outbreak began in Murli Tole, Ward 12 of Birgunj in early
Bhadra, the disease expanded to several wards of Birgunj, nearby local levels
of Parsa, and parts of Bara. In response, the Ministry of Health and Population
requested vaccines from the International
Coordinating Group (ICG).
Nepal has now received 1,018,000 doses of the oral cholera vaccine Euvichol-S, with support from the Family Welfare Division, World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF.
Local authorities hope the upcoming vaccination
campaign will play a crucial role in protecting residents and preventing a
wider health crisis.
