By John Ikani
There is no end in sight to the cholera epidemic ravaging Malawi with reports emerging that the country has ran out of vaccine stockpile.
Adrian Chikumbe, the spokesperson for Malawi’s health ministry, was quoted by local media as saying “the country has no more cholera vaccines available.”
The outbreak, which began in March 2022, has affected 29 health districts in the country and has resulted in 28,132 confirmed cases and 916 deaths.
Despite receiving a tranche of 2.9 million doses from the Gavi-supported Global Oral Cholera Vaccine Stockpile in November, the high demand for the life-saving medication has resulted in a depletion of supplies.
Cholera, a bacterial disease that affects both children and adults, is spread through contaminated water and food and can cause severe dehydration.
If left untreated, up to 30% of cholera cases can be fatal, with the disease capable of killing within hours in extreme cases.
As Malawi struggles to contain the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) has also reported that the global stockpile of cholera vaccines is “empty or extremely low.”
The WHO has urged countries and organizations to step up efforts to replenish the stockpile and ensure that life-saving vaccines are readily available to those in need.
In the meantime, the Malawi health ministry is urging all citizens to adhere to preventive and containment measures, such as practicing good hygiene and avoiding contaminated water sources.
