Zimbabwe is taking a bold step to stop the spread of cholera, a disease that has killed hundreds of people and infected thousands more since last year.
The country has launched a massive door-to-door vaccination campaign to immunize over 2 million people in 29 of the hardest-hit districts. Health workers administer the Euvichol-Plus vaccine orally, which protects against cholera infections for at least six months.
Bacteria that contaminate food or water cause cholera, which leads to severe diarrhea, dehydration, and sometimes death. It often occurs in crowded urban areas with poor sanitation facilities.
A Deadly Outbreak
Since February 2023, when the first cases were reported in the capital, Harare, Zimbabwe has been battling a cholera outbreak. The outbreak has since spread to other parts of the country, affecting both rural and urban communities.
According to the health ministry, cholera had killed 452 people and infected a total of 20,446 as of Jan. 24, 2024. About half of the cases have involved children.
The outbreak has strained the country’s already fragile health system, which suffers from shortages of drugs, equipment, and staff. Many people have to travel long distances to access health facilities or rely on traditional healers.
In November, the government moved to restrict public gatherings and food vending and monitor burials in areas affected by cholera after cases spiked. It also appealed for international assistance to contain the outbreak.
A Promising Solution
UNICEF and the World Health Organization support the vaccination campaign, which aims to prevent further transmission of the disease and reduce the risk of future outbreaks.
Health workers launched the campaign on Monday in Kuwadzana, a township about 15 km (9 miles) from central Harare. Health workers administered the first vaccines to schoolchildren amid calls for residents to participate. They have also started going door-to-door offering vaccines to households.
The campaign will run for two weeks and target people aged one year and above. The vaccine is safe and effective, but it does not replace the need for good hygiene and safe water practices, health officials said.
The health ministry said that it had dispatched more than 892,000 of the 2.3 million vaccine doses that Zimbabwe will receive.
The introduction of the cholera vaccine is another tool to prevent the further spread of the disease,” the health ministry said in a statement.
Zimbabwe is not the only country in Africa that has faced cholera outbreaks in recent years. Climate change, population growth, and urbanization have been linked to disease outbreaks in other countries, including Kenya, Somalia, and Zambia.
However, Zimbabwe’s vaccination campaign is one of the largest and most ambitious in the continent, and it could serve as a model for other countries to follow.
By vaccinating millions of people against cholera, Zimbabwe is not only saving lives, but also investing in its future. A healthy population is essential for the country’s social and economic development, especially as it recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zimbabwe’s door-to-door campaign to end cholera outbreak is a testament to the country’s resilience and determination to overcome its challenges and achieve its potential.
Source: ReutersÂ
