By Michael Gwarisa
Zimbabwe has taken delivery of 892 286 doses of Oral Cholera Vaccines to complement ongoing efforts to contain the Cholera outbreak.
The country is set to receive over two million doses in the coming weeks to vaccinate people in 28 hardest hit districts by Cholera. Cholera has since been reported in 60 districts countrywide.
Speaking soon after the arrival of the Vaccines at Robert Mugabe International Airport, Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the vaccines have come at a critical time.
Cases have been going up and this reactive campaign is welcome. I encourage Zimbabweans to take these vaccines seriously but this is a temporary measure. The Government is putting in place a lot of measures on the preventive side to ensure we have clean water and work has already started,” said Dr Mombeshora.
He added that the first batch has already been dispatched to Masvingo province and he will be launching the vaccine campaign on Monday in Kuwadzana.
“We are expecting more vaccines and these will be deployed as we receive them in the coming weeks. Vaccines work and these vaccines for cholera have no adverse effects.”
Zimbabwe has been experiencing a cholera outbreak since 12 February 2023. As of 26 January, the country has recorded 20,951 suspected cases including 2,357 confirmed cases, 71 confirmed deaths and 393 suspected deaths (CFR 2.2%). These cases are from 60 out of the 63 districts in the country. The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) was activated by the MoHCC in October 2023 and the Incident Manager was appointed then.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) will provide guidance on how to vaccinate and they also be on the ground monitoring the vaccination process.
WHO Zimbabwe Representative, Prof Jean Marie Dangou said the Cholera response needed collaborative approach.
“We stand at a pivotal moment in Zimbabwe’s fight against cholera, a disease that has caused immense suffering to over 20,000 people and claimed over 300 lives to date. Through the collaborative effort of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, GAVI and the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Child Care, we are witnessing a handover of 892 286 doses of oral cholera vaccines,” said Professor Dangou.
He added that the just received consignment is part of the 2,3 million vaccine doses Zimbabwe is set to receive following the approval by the WHO International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision earlier this month.
“This handover is a powerful symbol of our collective commitment to protecting lives and safeguarding the health of this great nation. The World Health Organization recommends use of oral cholera vaccines as an additional measure to limit the spread of disease during cholera outbreaks, especially in humanitarian crises and areas with ongoing cholera transmission.”
WHO and UNICEF combined efforts have ensured swift vaccine deployment, improved knowledge on cholera prevention measures, and strengthened healthcare systems in affected communities. Prof Dangou said the fight against Cholera demands a united front and urged all partners, from donors, non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector leaders and individuals, to step forward and join this crucial crusade.
UNICEF are coming through to help with logistics and technical support for the vaccination program. UNICEF has also been supporting the response across the various pillars which include coordination, case management, IPC, WASH and RCCE.
Dr Tajudeen Oyewale, the UNCEF Country Representative to Zimbabwe said, “For the OCV campaign, UNICEF has provided technical support for the application to the ICG while the vaccines are being delivered through UNICEF Supply Division.”
He added, “In preparation for the campaign, UNICEF has supported the start mobilisation activities in Masvingo Province with focus group discussions with communities underway in collaboration with Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust (AWET).”
UNICEF will also offer technical and financial support to the roll-out of the campaign across all provinces. The financial support to the campaign is coming from various development partners like the Government of Japan, the Health Resilience Fund alongside UNICEF resources. UNICEF implementing partners provide logistical support to the vaccination teams in various districts.
Various interventions have been put in place to respond to the outbreak. These include the Case Area Targeted Interventions (CATI) through WASH, Risk Communication and Community Engagement, Case Management and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC).
Also, as part of the response, the country applied to the ICG for a reactive Oral Cholera Vaccine campaign. A total of 2,303,248 doses were approved by the ICG to cover 195 wards across 29 districts. Of these, 294,400 doses were received in the country on Thursday 25 January 2024. The distribution of these to the districts has already commenced in preparation of the campaign which is scheduled to commence on Monday 29 January. Today, Saturday 27 January 2024 Zimbabwe received two additional batches with 294,000 and 303,000 dose vials. The outstanding doses will be received on a date to be confirmed.
