From protection to responsibility: A mother’s role in immunization in Bangladesh

Hazradighi Village, ward-2, Noongola union, Bogura, Bangladesh – For Farhana Akhter, immunization has been a lifelong journey.  Vaccinated as a child herself, she now walks her young son to the local outreach session, ensuring he receives every vaccine on time. “I want my children to grow healthy and strong, just as I did,” she says, smiling as she leads her youngest to the local outreach session.

In Bangladesh, routine immunization services are delivered through fixed and outreach sessions to protect children from preventable diseases. Yet gaps remain in some communities. Zero-dose and under-immunized children, those who miss even a single vaccine, remain at heightened health risk, often due to limited awareness, access barriers, or missed opportunities.

To address this challenge, local health authorities, with support from WHO, implemented a community-centered approach in Hazradighi. Beyond routine immunization sessions, they introduced innovative strategies: announcements from mosque loudspeakers on vaccination days, careful tracking of children using registers and tally sheets, and follow-ups to ensure no child was left behind.

WHO staff analyzed monthly reports, conducted field visits, and worked closely with frontline health workers to strengthen microplanning and identify missed children. World Immunization Week provides an annual strategic opportunity to identify and reach children who have missed routine services. In 2025, Bogura District successfully reached 1,211 missed children, 1,234 zero-dose children, and 5,857 under-immunized children through targeted immunization activities.

Community engagement became the cornerstone of the effort. Local leaders, mothers’ groups, and volunteers encouraged parents to bring their children for vaccination. Mothers who had benefited from vaccination themselves became advocates, sharing their experiences and building trust within the community. The results were remarkable. Previously missed children received their vaccines, attendance at outreach sessions increased, and dropout rates declined. Caregivers like Farhana now have a stronger understanding of the importance of timely immunization, and communities are more confident in the services provided.

“This approach shows that vaccination is more than a health service, it is a partnership with the community,” says a local health worker. “By empowering mothers, engaging leaders, and tracking every child, we ensure that vaccines protect not just one generation, but the next as well.”

The experience from Hazradighi underscores a key lesson for immunization programmes everywhere: reaching every child requires proactive planning, strong community engagement, and data-driven strategies. Through these efforts, vaccines continue to safeguard generations, one child, one mother, one community at a time.

Mother (Child and Td card) and child (child card) holding their own card.   
Photo Credit: WHO/Bangladesh