WHO launches large-scale global cholera testing campaign

The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners announced plans to launch the largest-ever global rapid diagnostic testing for cholera on April 5 to boost the fight against rising infections.

Medical staff treat a cholera patient at a hospital in Lusaka, Zambia. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

According to a VNA reporter reporting from Africa, Malawi received its first batch of tests on the same day, launching a global diagnostic program to speed up the detection of cholera outbreaks.

A total of more than 1.2 million test kits will be distributed to 14 high-risk countries in the coming months, the WHO said in a statement. “Countries will receive kits in the coming weeks in the largest global rollout ever, including those currently severely affected by cholera outbreaks, such as Ethiopia, Somalia, Syria and Zambia,” the statement confirmed.

This is a partnership, with Gavi, the vaccine alliance, handling funding and coordination, and UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, providing procurement. WHO and the Global Task Force on Cholera Control are also providing support.

The participating organizations said the program aims to support countries to accelerate and improve the accuracy of cholera detection and response through enhanced surveillance and routine testing.

“We are experiencing an unprecedented increase in cholera cases around the world for many years and today’s announcement provides an important boost in the fight against this disease,” said Aurelia Nguyen, Gavi’s chief program officer, in the statement.

Cholera, a bacterial infection usually transmitted through contaminated food or water, causes diarrhea and vomiting, and can be especially dangerous for young children.

The number of cases has increased in recent years, with 473,000 cases reported globally to WHO in 2022, double the number in 2021, and preliminary data shows more than 700,000 cases reported in 2023. The surge in outbreaks has created unprecedented demand for vaccines from affected countries.

The WHO statement said that although the global supply of oral cholera vaccines increased 18-fold between 2013 and 2023, the increased demand had caused shortages worldwide. Last month, the WHO called for “immediate action” to address the shortages, warning of “unprecedented pressure on global vaccine stocks.”

Also on April 5, WHO confirmed that the current situation has forced vaccination campaigns to be delayed to preserve doses for emergency response. At the same time, the recurrence of outbreaks in countries that have implemented emergency vaccination campaigns highlights the need to improve the speed and accuracy of identifying areas with new or persistent transmission.

“Surveillance diagnostics identify hotspots with high precision, allowing partners to target cholera vaccines precisely when and where supplies are limited, saving the most lives,” said Leila Pakkala, UNICEF’s head of supply.

Source