In January 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Government of Bangladesh and
other health partners, launched a mass Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV)
campaign for both Rohingya refugees and nearby host communities.
The
campaign vaccinated 976,751 people, reaching 103.6% coverage, likely
due to a refugee influx and denominator inaccuracies. Children made up
42% (410,235) of those vaccinated.
The
success of the campaign was built on months of careful planning and
coordination. WHO led technical preparations, trained vaccinators on
safe delivery, data documentation, and cold-chain management, and
ensured equitable coverage across all 33 camps. Volunteers went door to
door, raising awareness and making sure no family was left behind.
By
the end of January, confirmed cholera cases had dropped from 170 in
December to just 32, a fivefold reduction signaling the end of the
outbreak.
In April 2025, WHO and partners conducted a second OCV round,
reaching 177,222 children aged 1–5 years, the group most vulnerable to
severe illness. Vaccination was combined with improved WASH services and
ongoing surveillance, further strengthening Cox’s Bazar’s health system
against cholera and other infectious threats.
Building on these
gains, in May 2025 WHO and the Government of Bangladesh organized a
cholera preparedness simulation exercise to test emergency response
capacity and coordination. The exercise refined outbreak protocols and
reinforced multisectoral collaboration, ensuring that both health and
WASH partners are ready to respond quickly in future emergencies.
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