Latest articles about cholera       Routine vaccines: Cholera

The text below was current as of 2020 available data and will be updated in early 2025. For more information, visit the latest articles about cholera. Additional information about Gavi's oral cholera vaccine support: Gavi’s Annual Progress Report and Facts & figures.

Gavi’s impact

Approximately 70 million doses of oral cholera vaccine distributed from the Global OCV Stockpile

PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO OUTBREAKS

To support emergency response, humanitarian crises and preventive vaccination in countries with endemic cholera, Gavi has supported the Global Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) Stockpile since 2014. Since then, the Stockpile has been accessed 87 times by 22 countries, with approximately 70 million doses shipped as of end 2020.

The Stockpile comprises an emergency component managed by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision – the same mechanism used for emergency Ebola, meningococcal and yellow fever vaccine stockpiles – and a non-emergency reserve, which is used to vaccinate preventively in cholera hotspots. The ICG includes four Alliance partners: the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), UNICEF and WHO.

REDUCING CHOLERA DEATHS BY 90% BY 2030

The momentum for action against cholera greatly accelerated in 2018, with the World Health Assembly’s adoption of a resolution on cholera prevention and control, aimed at reducing cholera deaths by 90% by 2030. Increasingly, affected countries are developing national multisectoral cholera control plans, including preventive OCV use to reduce the burden of cholera, prevent outbreaks and protect people while scaling up long-term investments in improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

With its aim to reach unvaccinated children, the Gavi 5.0 strategic period (2021–2025) is an opportunity to pursue synergies with Ending Cholera—A Global Roadmap to 2030 to ensure communities facing multiple deprivations have comprehensive access to health and other services, including safe water, sanitation and hygiene. Cholera control activities can prevent other diarrhoeal diseases; and cholera vaccination campaigns can be leveraged to reach these communities with other essential services.

 

Reaching zero-dose children and missed communities

GROWING MARKET

Demand for the oral cholera vaccine has increased over the past years: in the 15 years between 1997 and 2012, just 1.5 million doses of cholera vaccine were used worldwide; in 2021, approximately 27 million doses were shipped worldwide – a testament to Gavi’s role in increasing supply to meet growing demand.

The issue 

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by contaminated food or water. The disease can quickly lead to severe dehydration and, in its extreme form, can be fatal.

Outbreaks and deaths occur primarily because people cannot access adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and treatment, respectively. The majority of cholera cases can be successfully treated with oral rehydration salts, while severe cases require intravenous fluids. Use of oral cholera vaccines in areas known to be high risk for cholera should supplement core prevention efforts to improve water and sanitation.

Routine vaccines: Cholera

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by contaminated food or water. The disease can quickly lead to severe dehydration and, in its extreme form, can be fatal.

Outbreaks and deaths occur primarily because people cannot access adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and treatment, respectively. The majority of cholera cases can be successfully treated with oral rehydration salts, while severe cases require intravenous fluids. Use of oral cholera vaccines in areas known to be high risk for cholera should supplement core prevention efforts to improve water and sanitation.

Routine vaccines: Cholera

Gavi’s response 

In 2018, as part of the Vaccine Investment Strategy (VIS), Gavi’s Board approved an investment to expand Gavi’s support for preventive OCV use in high-risk areas, known as "hotspots", while continuing its stockpile support for emergency response. The inclusion of OCV as part of a multisectoral approach to fight cholera was a key achievement during the Gavi 4.0 strategic period (2016–2020), which brought an exponential increase of vaccine use for both for outbreak response and prevention in cholera hotspots.

Due to growing demand from countries around the world and the potential impact of expanding the use of cholera vaccine in known hotspots to prevent outbreaks from starting and spreading, Gavi has recently launched the preventive cholera vaccine programme within its portfolio. Countries can submit multi-year plans for vaccine support beginning in 2023, and are encouraged to include activities related to cholera control in other Gavi funding grants.

Learn more

In 2018, as part of the Vaccine Investment Strategy (VIS), Gavi’s Board approved an investment to expand Gavi’s support for preventive OCV use in high-risk areas, known as "hotspots", while continuing its stockpile support for emergency response. The inclusion of OCV as part of a multisectoral approach to fight cholera was a key achievement during the Gavi 4.0 strategic period (2016–2020), which brought an exponential increase of vaccine use for both for outbreak response and prevention in cholera hotspots.

Due to growing demand from countries around the world and the potential impact of expanding the use of cholera vaccine in known hotspots to prevent outbreaks from starting and spreading, Gavi has recently launched the preventive cholera vaccine programme within its portfolio. Countries can submit multi-year plans for vaccine support beginning in 2023, and are encouraged to include activities related to cholera control in other Gavi funding grants.

Learn more

Latest articles about cholera

Forgotten pandemic: The cholera emergency in five charts

Global statistics for 2023 show an increase in cases and deaths as the cholera pandemic rolls on.

Spotlight on choleraCholeraData
Oral cholera vaccination. Gavi/2023/Kelvin Juma
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Interview: how we’re working to boost global cholera vaccine supply

EuBiologics is the sole supplier of cholera vaccine for outbreaks, at a time of unprecedented demand. Its director of international business, Rachel Park, explains how they plan to increase global supply.

Spotlight on choleraCholera
Euvichol-Plus. Gavi/2018/Duncan Graham-Rowe
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Meet the global oral cholera vaccine stockpile

35 million doses of cholera vaccine rolled out worldwide last year, curbing outbreaks and saving lives. Where did they come from? Epidemiologist Allyson Russell answered our questions.

Spotlight on choleraCholeraVaccine campaigns
A dose of the oral cholera vaccine. Gavi/2023/Kelvin Juma
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Cholera: A VaccinesWork guide

This week, VaccinesWork is shining a spotlight on cholera, a growing public health problem. Join us to learn more about the disease, the fight against it, and what vaccines can do to help.

Spotlight on choleraCholera
A community health volunteeris championing and sensitising on the importance of Cholera vaccination inside the community of Kitengela in Kajiado East, Kenya. Gavi/2023/Kelvin Juma
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New rapid diagnostic tests for cholera a 'game-changer' in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s latest cholera outbreak swelled to more than 20,000 suspected cases, but nurses and health leaders say the new, easy-to-use, rapid screening kits will make the fast-spreading infection easier to manage in future.

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Health workers using the new cholera rapid diagnostic tests. Credit: Elia Ntali
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Lagos moves fast to quash cholera outbreak

When cholera hit, Nigerian health officials got to work stamping out the fires and heading off risk.

CholeraOutbreaks
Sanitation officials speaking to some Lagos residents about the disease. Credit: Eric Dumo
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New rapid diagnostics kits ease Nepal’s fight against endemic cholera

Quicker outbreak response, less panic, and freer hospital beds: as new screening kits roll out, health workers in Nepal foresee a big impact on the “notorious bacterium”.

Cholera
A stool sample being tested using the RDT kit in the laboratory of the infectious disease hospital, Kathmandu. Credit: Pragya Timsina
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Nigeria’s cholera outbreaks: why they happen and are so hard to control

Nigeria is prone to a variety of factors that lead to recurring cholera outbreaks.

Cross-postsCholera
Lack of access to clean water is a factor in the spread of cholera. Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images
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Cholera can kill you within hours if left untreated: how to recognise the symptoms and protect yourself

Severe weather such as drought and floods is contributing to cholera outbreaks in Africa.

Cross-postsCholera
Cholera bacteria. Credit: Wikimedia commons
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In Malawi, rapid test kits for cholera bring relief to a taxed health system

In April, nearly 10,000 rapid diagnostic testing kits for cholera landed in Lilongwe. Health leaders and frontline workers say they’re making a major difference.

Spotlight on choleraCholera
RDT test kits. Credits: Chikwawa DHO
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How a major health campaign sprang Malawi out of its cholera emergency

Multiple countries in the eastern and southern region of Africa are battling cholera outbreaks. Malawi’s response to the epidemic has been a stand-out success.

CholeraVaccine campaigns
Patricia Namilonje sitting at home, speaking to a health surveillance assistant. Credit: Charles Pensulo/Gavi/2024
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Last updated: 18 Nov 2024

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