The World Health Organization (WHO) has facilitated the vaccine’s procurement to Malawi as the cholera outbreak spread to 27 of Malawi’s 29 districts, killing more than 200 people and infecting 6,868 others since March, according to government data.
WHO delivers the cholera vaccine through the funds from the Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi)
Malawi’s health ministry says it will soon launch a second vaccination campaign after receiving 2.9 million doses of the oral cholera vaccine as the cases rise in recent times.
A data from the government says the outbreak has spread to 27 of Malawi’s 29 districts, killing more than 200 people and infecting 6,868 others since March.
The outbreak was first recorded in Malawi’s southern region but it has currently the spread to the north districts, a data reveals.
In a statement, WHO said “the current outbreak represents the largest epidemic reported in the country in the past 10 years,” The statement added that “the outbreak is taking place in the context of tropical storm Ana (January 2022) and Cyclone Gombe (March 2022) which caused floods leading to the displacement of a population with low pre-existing immunity that now lacks access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene,”
According to authority, the roll out of cholera vaccination campaign in May reached more than 1.5 million people as the most affected age groups are between 21-30 years.
