On Thursday, the president of the World Health Organization asked for greater manufacture of cholera vaccinations, citing a “critical shortage” around the world.
According to the UN health agency, 307,433 cases of cholera and 2,326 deaths were registered in 26 countries as of July 28.
“The response continues to be hampered by a critical shortage of the vaccine, as demand outpaces supply,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X, formerly Twitter.
Since January 2023, 18 countries have sought around 105 million pills, but only 55 million doses have been produced, Tedros stated.
In a new situation update, the WHO stated that between January and May 2024, the oral cholera vaccine stockpile “was entirely depleted”.
Tedros advocated for “further investment in scaling up vaccine production” and asked all countries to increase spending on “water and sanitation, as well as emergency preparedness to prevent further outbreaks.”
According to the WHO, the eastern Mediterranean region, Africa, and Southeast Asia have the highest number of cases, indicating a “very high” worldwide danger from cholera due to the growing number of cases and vaccine shortages.
According to the WHO, despite decades of progress against cholera, cases have begun to climb again since 2021, including in countries where the disease had been absent for years.
The WHO stated that the cases registered thus far should be taken with caution because to probable reporting delays.
The sickness, which causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and muscle cramps, is typically caused by eating or drinking food or water infected with the bacterium, according to the WHO.