The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) has been suspended in Lalmonirhat for the past month due to a work stoppage by health assistants demanding higher pay grades, leaving many children, including newborns, without routine vaccinations. Health officials say the disruption has increased health risks for children across the district.
Jahangir Alam, an assistant health inspector in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, said the EPI program has remained suspended throughout the district during the work stoppage. According to the Lalmonirhat Health Department, children are scheduled to receive 11 vaccine doses from birth to 18 months to protect against 10 diseases, including polio, tuberculosis, tetanus, measles, diphtheria, rubella, whooping cough, and hepatitis. Although the vaccines are provided free of cost, no vaccinations have been administered during this period.
Under the EPI program, 24 vaccination centers operate in each union, vaccinating an average of 500 to 600 children per upazila every month. Health officials said delays in scheduled vaccinations can also create complications in obtaining birth registration certificates, as vaccination cards are issued shortly after birth.
Parents have expressed concern over the prolonged suspension. Jamshed Alam, a resident of Aditmari upazila, said his newborn missed scheduled vaccinations due to the closure of vaccination centers. Representatives of the Bangladesh Health Assistant Association said the work stoppage began after repeated demands for higher salary grades went unaddressed. Lalmonirhat Civil Surgeon Abdul Hakim said the issue has been reported to higher authorities and warned that a prolonged disruption could have serious adverse effects on child health.
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