1.2 million people vaccinated against cholera in Mozambique

Mozambique has reached its goal of 1.2 million people vaccinated against cholera in three provinces in the center of the country, with a total of 111 deaths from the disease since September, according to the daily bulletin of the Ministry of Health (Misau).

According to the Ministry of Health, the total number of vaccinated in the provinces of Zambezia, Manica and Sofala, the most affected by the disease, is 1,277,478, which corresponds to 100% of the target.

The cholera vaccination campaign began on March 29 and ended on Monday, with an expected vaccination target of 1,277,539 people.

Since September 2022, 111 people have died from cholera in Mozambique and 16,374 more people have been hospitalized due to cholera, according to the latest data from Misau.

Mozambique has recorded a total of 24,516 cases since September, 441 of which were registered in the last 24 hours, according to an update from the National Public Health Authority.

According to health data, the provinces of Nyasa, Tete, Sofala and Zambezia are among the hardest hit by the disease, with a death rate of 0.4%.

The African Union’s (AU) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) this Wednesday called on the international community for “support” in the fight against cholera outbreaks in Mozambique and Malawi, recently exacerbated by the impact of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

“The health and social infrastructure of Mozambique and Malawi has been damaged. We urge everyone in a position to help to work with these countries to restore normality,” Acting Director of CDC Africa Ahmed Ogwell said at an online press conference.

“Answers [nestas duas nações africanas] require a humanitarian approach,” added Ogwell, stressing the need to ensure a clean water supply, proper disposal of human waste and inter-regional communications, among other urgent measures.

Cholera is a disease that causes severe diarrhea and is treatable but can lead to death from dehydration if not dealt with urgently, as it is largely caused by eating contaminated food and water due to lack of sanitation.

Mozambique, considered one of the countries hardest hit by climate change in the world, is in the middle of the rainy and cyclone season, which occurs between October and April, when winds blow from the Indian Ocean and floods from the hydrographic basins of South Africa.