The Malawian government says it has received a consignment of 2.9 million doses of Oral Cholera Vaccine for a single-dose reactive campaign to the Cholera outbreak.
This is the first significant response since the outbreak when the first case was recorded in March and the country had since witnessed over 200 deaths.
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The cholera response has been funded by Gavi, the Global Alliance of Vaccines.
In a joint statement released by the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and Malawi government said the OCV consignment arrived Monday, November 7 “at a critical time as the country continues to respond to the ongoing Cholera outbreak”.
It said the WHO, the Malawi government through the Ministry of Health, and UNICEF have facilitated and supported the timely delivery of the vaccines from the Global Emergency Stockpile.
The statement quotes Malawian minister of health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda saying “the campaign will target 2.9 million Malawians comprising adults and children aged one year and above living in highly affected districts.
“However, we will still prioritize the provision of safe water and sanitation, and positive hygiene behavior practices, which are critical to prevent and control the transmission of cholera.’’
The outbreak has been reported in all the country’s 28 districts but, according to the statement, the OCV doses will prioritize the country’s 14 districts with high numbers of cholera cases.
The districts include Chitipa, Karonga, Rumphi, Mzimba, Likoma Island, and Nkhata Bay up north; Lilongwe, Salima, Nkhotakota, and Kasungu in the central region; Nsanje, Zomba, and Blantyre in the southern region.
Cumulatively, Malawi had recorded 7,030 cholera cases and 207 cholera deaths as of Monday, November 7, with 6,608 recoveries and 215 cases still in treatment camps.
According to the joint statement, the OCV campaign will be carried out over the next few weeks.
(Xinhua)
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