The World Health Organization (WHO) warned this Friday of an alarming increase in cholera outbreaks in the world -mainly in eastern and southern Africa- this year and its high mortality rate.
From January to mid-May, new cholera outbreaks were observed in 24 countries, although more than 1 billion people in 43 countries are at epidemic risk, according to the director of the WHO for the global response to cholera, Henry Gray.
The most serious cases currently are those of Mozambique and Malawi, where cholera affected 90,000 people in the first three months of 2023, coinciding with severe flooding.
In a situation of “acute crisis” include Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Syria, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
“We must prepare for more and more cases”, alerted the specialist.
The problems of access to drinking water and basic sanitation services are the central cause of cholera epidemics, which are aggravated in cases of conflict due to the large movements of people that they cause.
“Here it is about resolving issues of access to water, hygiene and dignity as human beings. The vaccine can help stop the chain of transmission, as a preventative, but the basis of everything is to guarantee access to water and sanitation quicklysaid Gray.
The WHO pointed out that the resources to face this situation are very insufficient, as well as the production of vaccines, whose stocks are barely allowing the communities at greatest risk to be partially immunized.
Of the 18 million doses that are necessary, there are only 8 million, which is why prevention campaigns in high-risk places have had to be interrupted, according to the agency’s data.
Besides, the WHO it has been forced to reduce the doses administered from two to one in order to protect – even if it is for less time – more people among those who are at greater risk of dying, such as children.
“Cholera kills fast and therefore we need to react fast to save lives”, the head of public health and emergencies of UNICEFJerome Pfaffmann Zambruni.
To this end, WHO and UNICEF presented a joint annual response plan to the disease that will cover actions in 40 countries and for which more than 600 million dollars are required.
Source: EFE
Source: Gestion
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