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On Thursday, August 15, 2024, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), urged an increase in cholera vaccine production, emphasizing that the current supply is far from meeting global demand.
«The response continues to be affected by a critical shortage of the vaccine, as demand continues to outpace supply, with 105 million doses requested by 18 countries since January 2023. 55 million doses have been produced in the same period», he said Thursday on X.
To address this shortfall, WHO is calling for more investment to ramp up vaccine production. Dr. Tedros also emphasized the need for countries to invest in water sanitation and emergency preparedness to prevent future outbreaks.
WHO’s monthly epidemiological bulletin on cholera, published on Thursday, stated that the global risk remains “very high” due to ongoing outbreaks, their spread across different regions, and the shortage of vaccines and other essential resources.
Between January 1 and July 28, 2024, WHO recorded 307,433 cases of cholera and 2,326 deaths across 26 countries. The Eastern Mediterranean region reported the highest numbers, followed by Africa, Southeast Asia, the Americas, and Europe. No cholera outbreaks were reported in the Western Pacific region during this period.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The disease is transmitted through the fecal-oral route, either directly by ingesting the bacteria from contaminated stools or more commonly by consuming contaminated food or water.
Cholera can cause severe diarrhea and dehydration, leading to death within hours if not treated promptly.
