Meningitis vaccine to be available at 80 centres across country

Meningitis vaccines will be available at 80 designated centres across the country, including several hospitals, and recipients will be provided with certificates upon getting the shot.

The Communicable Disease Control Program, or CDC, of the Directorate General of Health Services, or DGHS, outlined the initiative in an official directive issued on Sunday.

On Monday, CDC Line Director Prof Halimur Rashid said: “As many as 80 centres, including all civil surgeon offices across the country, have been assigned to administer the meningitis vaccine and later issue vaccination certificates.”

“This has been communicated to the relevant institutions through an official letter,” he added.

Rashid also noted that pilgrims traveling for Umrah will now have access to the vaccine at the nearest designated centre.

The DGHS has announced that the meningitis vaccine will be available at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Kurmitola General Hospital, Mugda Medical College Hospital, Government Employees Hospital, Combined Military Hospital, Secretariat Clinic, and Central Police Hospital in the capital.

Outside of Dhaka, the vaccine will be available at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital in Gazipur, Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Khulna Medical College Hospital, Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital in Tongi, the 250-bed Mohammad Ali Hospital in Bogura, and the 250-bed Sadar Hospital in Dinajpur.

The DGHS has also announced that the meningitis vaccine will be available at all civil surgeon offices and district hospitals across the country.

According to the order issued by the CDC, passengers traveling to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa or a visitpr visa, who plan to perform Umrah or Ziyarah by Feb 10, are required to get the meningitis vaccine. The vaccine must be administered at least 10 days before their departure. However, children under the age of one are exempt from the vaccination requirement.

The CDC has stated that passengers traveling on Umrah and visitor visas will be responsible for covering the cost of the meningitis vaccine. They will get the shot at designated government institutions, which will issue vaccination certificates. Additionally, these certificates will be digitally uploaded to MIS's VAX EPI system.

The Saudi government has made the meningitis vaccination a mandatory requirement for passengers traveling to the kingdom on Umrah and tourist visas.

On Jan 22, the Ministry of Religious Affairs sent a letter to the secretary of the Health Services Department, urging the implementation of necessary measures to vaccinate travellers wishing to perform Umrah or travel to Saudi on tourist visas against meningitis.

According to the World Health Organization, meningitis is an inflammatory disease affecting the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can occur in individuals of any age and is typically caused by an infection. The disease can be serious and requires immediate medical attention.

Symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light and sound, convulsions, mucus discharge from the mouth, incontinence, and vomiting or nausea. In children, symptoms may include fever, irritability, reluctance to eat, excessive fatigue, and red spots on the skin.

Meningitis can be caused by various bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. In most cases, the infection spreads from person to person, though it can also be transmitted through injuries, cancer, or medications.

Bacterial meningitis is the most dangerous form of the disease, and can become fatal within 24 hours of infection. Vaccination remains the best protection against bacterial meningitis.