Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Edina Amponsah-Dacosta, Research Officer / EIDM Specialist, University of Cape Town
Published on 2024-03-12 10:29:52
In February 2024, the World Health Organization declared that southern Africa was facing its deadliest regional cholera outbreak in over a decade. Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique were at the heart of the crisis, with cholera cases increasing more than fourfold between 2022 and 2023, resulting in over 1,600 deaths in the three countries.
The year 2024 has already proven to be another challenging one for cholera in the region, as warmer weather and heavy rains have fueled the disease’s spread. The three countries have reported over 13,000 cases of cholera in 2024.
Cholera is caused by bacteria spread through contaminated food or water. Oral vaccines are crucial in containing outbreaks and limiting the disease’s transmission, but there is a global shortage of these vaccines. From January 2023 to January 2024, there was a demand for 76 million doses of the oral cholera vaccine from 14 countries, but only 38 million doses were available, leading to depleted stockpiles at the beginning of the year.
The shortage of oral cholera vaccines is primarily due to limited funding for their purchase, resulting in limited production. The vaccine recommended for mass vaccination during outbreaks, Euvichol-Plus, is produced solely by EuBiologics in South Korea, which has restricted manufacturing capacity, causing demand to exceed supply during spikes in outbreaks.
Efforts are being made to address the vaccine shortage in southern Africa, including temporarily adjusting vaccination regimens and prioritizing vaccine distribution in high-need areas. Additionally, steps are being taken to develop more cholera vaccines, with Biovac in South Africa and Biological E in India working on manufacturing the vaccines.
While vaccines are crucial in combating cholera outbreaks, it is essential to also focus on providing safe drinking water, sanitation, and promoting good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of the disease.
