Malawi is facing a worsening cholera crisis, with over 26,000 confirmed cases and 852 deaths reported as of January 16th, according to the country’s Ministry of Health. The outbreak, which began in March 2022, is a result of long-term neglect of the country’s water supplies and a lack of water testing, experts say.
In a dire turn of events, Malawi’s health ministry has announced that the country has run out of cholera vaccines. According to Adrian Chikumbe, the spokesperson for the ministry, the country secured a batch of 2.9 million doses from the Gavi-supported Global Oral Cholera Vaccine Stockpile in November, but it has now been depleted.
Cholera is a water-borne disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which thrives in poor maintenance of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) systems. It results in watery diarrhea, vomiting, and can lead to severe dehydration, kidney injury or death. Willies Mwandira, coordinator of the Water and Environmental Sanitation Network, an umbrella organization of institutions working in the water sector, said “The current challenges in fighting infectious diseases such as cholera and COVID-19 is mainly as a result of the past negligence of the sector.”
To combat the outbreak, the Water and Environmental Sanitation Network has recommended that funds be spent urgently on activities such as massive awareness campaigns on preventative measures, water quality monitoring, testing, and chlorination. Dylo Pemba, a retired professor of biological sciences at the University of Malawi, suggests that water sources should be checked for pollution and sanitation and hygiene should be enhanced in schools and markets, and sanitizers should be distributed.
The country’s taskforce on Coronavirus and Cholera has issued a statement appealing to the public and private sector and international organizations for support in the fight against the nationwide cholera outbreak. Charles Mwansambo, the principal secretary of the country’s Ministry of Health, said that one in every three people affected by cholera is a child.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has also stepped in to support the country’s efforts, receiving support from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations to secure supplies for Malawi, including acute watery diarrhea kits to support health facilities and communities, high-performance tents and some medicines.
Cholera is a global epidemic, and if left untreated, up to 30% of cholera cases can be fatal, and in extreme cases, the disease can kill within hours. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that cholera is surging globally, with Malawi at the epicenter of the African epidemic.
Why Malawi needs more vaccines to tackle the cholera outbreak
The depletion of the cholera vaccine stock highlights the dire situation in the country and the urgent need for more resources to combat the outbreak. The Ministry of Health has urged the public and private sector, as well as international organizations, to support the fight against the nationwide cholera outbreak.
As the number of cholera cases continues to rise, the lack of vaccines is a major concern for the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that cholera is a global epidemic, and if left untreated, up to 30% of cholera cases can be fatal. The situation in Malawi is particularly dire, with the country at the epicenter of the African epidemic.
Image Credit: Mufid Majnun on Unsplash
