From Data to Arms: Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine Rolls Out Today in Bangladesh! A story of science, partnership, and hope.
From Senjuti Saha, PhD, MPH
Today is an extraordinary day for Bangladesh. For decades, we have collected data, built evidence, and pushed for action. This morning, those numbers turn into protection for millions of children as the typhoid conjugate vaccine reaches their arms. For many of us at CHRF, this is deeply personal – it is where our journeys began, and today, we witness science become impact.
Bangladesh launches its first nationwide Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) campaign today, protecting children aged 9 months to under 15 years with a single-dose vaccine. Supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, this campaign represents a major step in the country’s fight against one of its most enduring infectious diseases.
For Child Health Research Foundation (CHRF), this is more than a public health achievement - it is the culmination of three decades of scientific work and a powerful reminder of why we do what we do.
CHRF and Typhoid: A Journey Rooted in Science and Persistence
CHRF’s story with typhoid began in the early 1990s, when many believed the disease did not seriously affect children. That changed in 2001, when Prof Samir Kumar Saha published a landmark study showing that children under the age of two were also being infected and often severely ill. This changed the way Bangladesh and the world understood typhoid.
That early discovery became the foundation for decades of work:
Measuring the true burden of disease in hospitals and communities.
Tracking antimicrobial resistance as the bacteria evolved.
Using genomics to map transmission across time and place.
Building partnerships with the government and global agencies to turn research into policy.
Every sample collected, every analysis completed, every paper published was part of a collective effort to bring this vaccine to Bangladeshi children.
A Timeline of CHRF’s Typhoid Milestones
These milestones represent not only scientific breakthroughs but the dedication of clinicians, laboratory scientists, surveillance officers, data scientists, and community health workers who have worked side by side for decades.
When Research Meets Reality: A Shared Milestone
For three CHRF scientists, Dr. Senjuti Saha, Dr. Yogesh Hooda, and Dr. Arif Mohammad Tanmoy, typhoid is not just another disease. It is where their scientific journeys began.
For Dr. Senjuti Saha, typhoid was the first lesson in how evidence can shape national health policy. Through typhoid surveillance, she learned how to design systems, interpret data, and work closely with the government and global partners to turn science into impact. Typhoid was her introduction to epidemiology, and motivation to get a degree in public health.
For Dr. Yogesh, typhoid opened the door to molecular epidemiology and resistance biology. He identified the R717Q mutation in acrB as the molecular basis of azithromycin resistance and helped characterize the first large ceftriaxone-resistant outbreak, findings that are transforming how resistant typhoid is detected and tracked.
For Dr. Tanmoy, typhoid became a lifelong scientific pursuit. Over more than a decade, he sequenced, analysed and annotated hundreds and hundreds of genomes, mapped resistant strains, investigated outbreaks, and generated the required genomic evidence to complement the clinical evidence needed for vaccine introduction.
And now, as the national campaign begins, their story has come full circle. Tanmoy has already registered his four-year-old son, Labib, to receive the vaccine. Labib, who has grown up in CHRF’s hallways – “CHRF’s kid” – represents what this work has always been about.
For all of us at CHRF, it is a powerful proof that years of research can lead to real protection for the next generation.
Together for a Typhoid-Free Future
This is more than a vaccination campaign. It is the story of how data, evidence, and perseverance can transform public health.
It is the story of three scientists, countless colleagues, and one small boy whose vaccination marks the closing of one chapter and the hopeful beginning of another.
The story of typhoid in Bangladesh is changing – and Bangladeshi science helped change it.
Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter of Typhoid Research
The rollout of the typhoid conjugate vaccine is not the end of the story - it is the beginning of a new chapter. We have already begun preparations to track the impact of the vaccine in real time. We will continue to follow the disease through clinical surveillance, genomic studies, and an exciting new frontier - tracking bacteriophages that infect Salmonella Typhi. By studying these phages and the biology of the bacteria they target, we aim to understand how the introduction of the vaccine will shape disease dynamics in Bangladesh.
This next phase is about turning a scientific milestone into a measurable, lasting change.
With Gratitude
This journey has been built on collaboration, trust, and shared purpose. We are deeply grateful to our funders, partners, and friends, including the Government of Bangladesh, Gates Foundation, World Health Organization, PATH, National Institutes of Health, Sabin Vaccine Institute, Stanford University, and to the many other organizations and individuals who have stood with us over the years. Above all, we thank the communities who have welcomed us into their lives, trusted us with their stories, and made this work possible. Together, we look forward to a typhoid-free future - built on science, partnership, and hope.
Also in This Issue
While the national rollout of the typhoid conjugate vaccine is the highlight of this month, CHRF’s work continues across many fronts – from global conversations to local training, from groundbreaking research to community engagement. Here are a few more stories from our team:
CHRF receives recognition from the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences for its contributions to child health and infectious disease research.
From Dhaka to the World
Since our last update, CHRF scientists have participated in major events, striving to take science forward across the world, including the CAMO-Net Workshop in the UK, Dengue meeting in Philippines, Gordon Research Conference on Salmonella in USA, TIMB Polio meeting at the WHO, Product Development for Vaccines Advisory Committee (PDVAC) at the WHO, Human Cell Atlas meeting in Singapore, the Building Scientists for Bangladesh Retreat in Thailand, and IMMEM in Portugal, among many others...
New RSV Publication
Our RSV surveillance findings are published in The Lancet Global Health, contributing critical data to global efforts to fight respiratory infections.
Last but not least, we continue to engage, educate, and empower the next generation of scientists! Here are highlights from the Epidemiology Workshop, the new Sanger training program, our first fellow, Prottoy, returning as a Summer Intern and a big welcome to our new BSB Fellow, Prokrity!
Trainees from our new Sanger Training Program.
A group photo with our participants from the Epidemiology Workshop!
Our very first BSB Fellow, Prottoy Roy, returns back at CHRF—this time as a intern! With support from the LINK Award, a Summer SPRINT Fellowship from Brown University, he is conducting molecular surveillance research on central nervous system infections.
Meet our new BSB Fellow, Lamia Islam Prokrity from Holy Cross College! We look forward to seeing her personal and professional growth over the next year as her unique skills contribute to our mission of shaping future scientists for Bangladesh!
In Closing
The journey toward a typhoid-free Bangladesh is far from over, but today, we take a moment to appreciate how far science, dedication, and teamwork have taken us. From the labs where the first data were collected to the communities where vaccines are now bringing hope, this achievement belongs to everyone who believed that evidence can truly change lives. At CHRF, we will keep pushing forward: to protect children, strengthen our health systems, and inspire the next generation of scientists to dream even bigger.
Here’s to the next chapter, where research turns into real impact, and every discovery brings us closer to a healthier, brighter Bangladesh!
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