Mozambique’s prime minister called on Monday to ramp up production of cholera vaccines, warning of an “unprecedented” rise in cases of the disease worldwide that has killed 38 Mozambicans since October.
“We take this opportunity to encourage and engage our partners and other stakeholders to ensure increased production and availability of vaccines against this disease,” said Adriano Maleiane during the opening of the first conference on transdisciplinarity to eliminate cholera, which will be held in Maputo.
“Our experience shows that vaccination campaigns combined with other social measures have a positive impact on preventing and controlling this epidemic,” he stressed.
The mobilization of oral cholera vaccines has allowed some 5.2 million people to be vaccinated in the areas of Mozambique most affected by cholera since 2021, he added.
Despite this progress, the government official continued, from October 2023 to July, the disease killed 38 people out of a total of 16,000 cholera cases in the country, representing a mortality rate of 0.2%.
Maleiano said that, in addition to vaccination, Mozambique was focusing on real-time surveillance, within the country and at the borders, increasing laboratory testing capacity through the establishment of a network of provincial public health laboratories, and differentiated case management of cholera, combining hospital treatment centres and community rehydration stations.
The strategy also aims to strengthen public participation with greater involvement of community and religious leaders and other social actors in raising awareness and educating the population on how to prevent cholera.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Deputy Representative Yannick Brand warned that since 2022, the world has seen an alarming increase in cholera and waterborne diseases, largely due to climate change.
“In the Eastern and Southern Africa region alone, there have been more than 300,000 cases and 5,000 deaths in 14 countries. While regional cholera trends are showing signs of stabilising, the number of cases in Southern Africa remains high, highlighting the need for specific action,” Brand said.
“Cholera also disproportionately affects children as they have high infection rates. Children also lose out on education opportunities due to delays in school opening due to cholera outbreaks,” he stressed.
The UNICEF Deputy Representative noted that climate change accelerates the risk of cholera and worsens the health, well-being and survival of children and vulnerable communities.
“In 2023, major cholera outbreaks coincided with extreme weather conditions, such as the prolonged drought that hit Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, and Cyclone Freddy that hit Malawi and Mozambique. The current El Niño event is causing heat waves and droughts in Southern Africa. Climate-related food insecurity could worsen the cholera situation and trigger population movements between countries,” stressed Yannick Brand.
In Mozambique, as well as across southern Africa, he continued, UNICEF and partners are responding to cholera outbreaks in challenging conditions, with little or no access to safe water and sanitation, increasing misinformation and rumours about cholera, and limited capacity to provide technical and financial support to affected countries.
On the other hand, a UNICEF representative warned that oral cholera vaccines are running out due to rising demand and limited availability.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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