Zim launches door-to-door cholera vaccination campaign

Zim launches door-to-door cholera vaccination campaign

on January 30, 2024 in Cholera, News

  • Zimbabwe will receive more than two million vaccine doses from UNICEF and the World Health Organisation.
  • Cholera has killed 452 people in the southern African country as of 24 January.
  • The disease is spread by contaminated food or water and often occurs in crowded areas with poor sanitation facilities.

Zimbabwe on Monday launched a cholera vaccination campaign to immunise more than two million people against the waterborne disease, amid an outbreak that has killed hundreds since early 2023.

Cholera had killed 452 people and infected a total of 20 446 in the southern African country as of 24 January, since the outbreak started in February 2023, according to health ministry statistics.

About half of the cases have involved children.

Zimbabwe will receive a total of 2.3 million vaccine doses from UNICEF and the World Health Organisation to be deployed to 29 of the hardest-hit districts.

More than 892 000 doses have already been dispatched, the health ministry said.

The cholera vaccine roll-out campaign was launched in Kuwadzana, a township about 15km from central Harare.

Health workers administered the first vaccines to schoolchildren amid calls for residents to participate.

They have also started going door-to-door offering vaccines to households.

Cholera is spread by contaminated food or water and often occurs in crowded urban areas with poor sanitation facilities.

The campaign uses the Euvichol-Plus vaccine, produced by EuBiologics, which is administered orally and protects against cholera infections for at least six months.

In November, the Zimbabwean government moved to restrict public gatherings and food vending and monitor burials in areas affected by cholera after cases spiked.

“The introduction of the cholera vaccine is another tool to prevent the further spread of the disease,” the health ministry said.

SOURCE:: news24 via link https://www.news24.com/news24/africa/news/zimbabwe-launches-door-to-door-cholera-vaccination-campaign-20240129

PRESS RELEASE: Zim launches cholera vaccination to curb the spread

PRESS RELEASE: Zim launches cholera vaccination to curb the spread

on January 30, 2024 in Cholera, News, Press Statements

Target is to vaccinate 2.3 million people in most affected districts

Harare, 29 January 2024 – Today, the Government of Zimbabwe launched a vaccination campaign against cholera, in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). The first cholera vaccines were administrated by the Health and Child Care Honorable Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora during an event in Kuwadzana, one of the most affected areas of the current cholera outbreak, in the presence of Dr Tajudeen Oyewale, UNICEF Representative, and Professor Jean-Marie Dangou, WHO Country Representative. These vaccines were made possible thanks to the financial support from GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, whose commitment to global health equity has been instrumental in providing access to life-saving vaccines for Zimbabwe. The cholera vaccines are an additional strategy the Government is rolling out to contain the spread of cholera in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe has recorded more than 20,000 suspected cholera and more than 400 confirmed and suspected deaths, since the first cases were recorded nearly a year ago.

A multisectoral cholera response plan led by the Ministry of Health and Child Care Care in collaboration with other government ministries and supported by UNICEF, WHO and partners and donors, has been rolled out focusing on streamlining response co-ordination at all levels, treatment of infected people and prevention of the spread of the disease through improved access to safe water, sanitation, personal and food hygiene and the dissemination of preventive messages to population most at risk.

The introduction of the cholera vaccine is another tool to prevent the further spread of the disease.

The first three batches of 892,286 cholera vaccines arrived via air freight on January 25 and January 27 at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, from which they were immediately dispatched to be used in the most affected districts in the country.

More arrivals are planned in the days to come.

The cholera vaccine used in Zimbabwe is the Euvichol-Plus vaccine, produced by EuBiologics. It is an oral vaccine administrated by mouth. One dose of vaccine protects against cholera infections for a period of at least six months.

The cholera vaccination campaign in Zimbabwe is targeting 2.3 million people, aged one year old and above, living in 160 wards within 26 high risk districts in 7 provinces: Harare, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, Manicaland, Masvingo and Midlands.

These districts are considered the main drivers for the outbreak.

The main operational strategy used in this campaign is house-to-house to minimize gatherings and further spread of the disease.

This is complemented by fixed vaccination points in all health facilities within the catchment area.

Each vaccination team is composed of three people, expected to vaccinate an average of 150 persons per day.

Ahead of the start of the vaccination, a comprehensive social mobilisation campaign was rolled-out to sensitize the population and generate demand for the vaccine. 

While the cholera vaccine provides additional protection against infections, it is important to highlight that it does not replace the other cholera prevention measures, like for instance regular hand washing under running safe water, drinking treated or boiled water, safe disposal of solid, liquid, and human waste, and observing food hygiene standards.

SOURCE:: WHO via ling https://www.afro.who.int/countries/zimbabwe/news/press-release-zimbabwe-launches-cholera-vaccination-curb-spread

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