Latest articles about cholera       Routine vaccines: Cholera

Gavi’s impact

Approximately 70 million doses of oral cholera vaccine distributed from the Global OCV Stockpile

PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO OUTBREAKS

To support emergency response, humanitarian crises and preventive vaccination in countries with endemic cholera, Gavi has supported the Global Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) Stockpile since 2014. Since then, the Stockpile has been accessed 87 times by 22 countries, with approximately 70 million doses shipped as of end 2020.

The Stockpile comprises an emergency component managed by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision – the same mechanism used for emergency Ebola, meningococcal and yellow fever vaccine stockpiles – and a non-emergency reserve, which is used to vaccinate preventively in cholera hotspots. The ICG includes four Alliance partners: the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), UNICEF and WHO.

REDUCING CHOLERA DEATHS BY 90% BY 2030

The momentum for action against cholera greatly accelerated in 2018, with the World Health Assembly’s adoption of a resolution on cholera prevention and control, aimed at reducing cholera deaths by 90% by 2030. Increasingly, affected countries are developing national multisectoral cholera control plans, including preventive OCV use to reduce the burden of cholera, prevent outbreaks and protect people while scaling up long-term investments in improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

With its aim to reach unvaccinated children, the Gavi 5.0 strategic period (2021–2025) is an opportunity to pursue synergies with Ending Cholera—A Global Roadmap to 2030 to ensure communities facing multiple deprivations have comprehensive access to health and other services, including safe water, sanitation and hygiene. Cholera control activities can prevent other diarrhoeal diseases; and cholera vaccination campaigns can be leveraged to reach these communities with other essential services.

 

Reaching zero-dose children and missed communities

GROWING MARKET

Demand for the oral cholera vaccine has increased over the past years: in the 15 years between 1997 and 2012, just 1.5 million doses of cholera vaccine were used worldwide; in 2021, approximately 27 million doses were shipped worldwide – a testament to Gavi’s role in increasing supply to meet growing demand.

The issue 

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by contaminated food or water. The disease can quickly lead to severe dehydration and, in its extreme form, can be fatal.

Outbreaks and deaths occur primarily because people cannot access adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and treatment, respectively. The majority of cholera cases can be successfully treated with oral rehydration salts, while severe cases require intravenous fluids. Use of oral cholera vaccines in areas known to be high risk for cholera should supplement core prevention efforts to improve water and sanitation.

Routine vaccines: Cholera

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by contaminated food or water. The disease can quickly lead to severe dehydration and, in its extreme form, can be fatal.

Outbreaks and deaths occur primarily because people cannot access adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and treatment, respectively. The majority of cholera cases can be successfully treated with oral rehydration salts, while severe cases require intravenous fluids. Use of oral cholera vaccines in areas known to be high risk for cholera should supplement core prevention efforts to improve water and sanitation.

Routine vaccines: Cholera

Gavi’s response 

In 2018, as part of the Vaccine Investment Strategy (VIS), Gavi’s Board approved an investment to expand Gavi’s support for preventive OCV use in high-risk areas, known as "hotspots", while continuing its stockpile support for emergency response. The inclusion of OCV as part of a multisectoral approach to fight cholera was a key achievement during the Gavi 4.0 strategic period (2016–2020), which brought an exponential increase of vaccine use for both for outbreak response and prevention in cholera hotspots.

Due to growing demand from countries around the world and the potential impact of expanding the use of cholera vaccine in known hotspots to prevent outbreaks from starting and spreading, Gavi has recently launched the preventive cholera vaccine programme within its portfolio. Countries can submit multi-year plans for vaccine support beginning in 2023, and are encouraged to include activities related to cholera control in other Gavi funding grants.

Learn more

In 2018, as part of the Vaccine Investment Strategy (VIS), Gavi’s Board approved an investment to expand Gavi’s support for preventive OCV use in high-risk areas, known as "hotspots", while continuing its stockpile support for emergency response. The inclusion of OCV as part of a multisectoral approach to fight cholera was a key achievement during the Gavi 4.0 strategic period (2016–2020), which brought an exponential increase of vaccine use for both for outbreak response and prevention in cholera hotspots.

Due to growing demand from countries around the world and the potential impact of expanding the use of cholera vaccine in known hotspots to prevent outbreaks from starting and spreading, Gavi has recently launched the preventive cholera vaccine programme within its portfolio. Countries can submit multi-year plans for vaccine support beginning in 2023, and are encouraged to include activities related to cholera control in other Gavi funding grants.

Learn more

Latest articles about cholera

Outbreak-hit Zimbabweans embrace cholera vaccines with open arms

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Zimbabwe digs boreholes to tackle growing cholera outbreak

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Zanzibar is on the path to eliminating cholera, researchers say

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Kenya cholera vaccine campaign smashes target, but climate change boosts risk

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How a Lagos community built on a garbage dump learned to keep safe from disease

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South Sudan rolls out oral cholera vaccine

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After three outbreaks, Zimbabwe is on high alert to curtail cholera

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From COVID-19 to cholera: Malawi’s health workers fight to get immunisation back on track

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Oral cholera vaccines arrive to help quell outbreak in Ethiopia

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Poo-free zone: How Nigeria is winning the war against open defecation

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Mozambique on high alert, braced for accelerating cholera spread

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Malawi’s worst cholera epidemic in decades sparks massive demand for vaccines

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Why cholera continues to threaten many African countries

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Flood-displaced Nigerians rely on humanitarian intervention to stay healthy as outbreaks threaten

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Oral cholera vaccines douse a swelling outbreak in populous Dhaka

After researchers spotted an uptick in patients hospitalised with cholera in the capital city, Bangladesh launched a two-part vaccination campaign to bring the disease to heel.

Climate change’s impact on healthcare in India

As climate change increases the risk of communicable diseases, India needs a more resilient healthcare infrastructure to counter its impact.

Cholera vaccine slows down prolonged outbreak in Malawi

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Scientists urge close monitoring of cholera variants

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First came the floods... then came the oral cholera vaccines

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Vaccine profiles: Cholera

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Applying the COVID Blueprint to Cholera

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Tackling Cameroon’s worst cholera outbreak in decades

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Oral Cholera Vaccine saving lives in South Sudan

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Cholera’s 7th Pandemic turns 60

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Last updated: 19 Jul 2022

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