WHO: global cholera vaccine stockpile runs empty
The global supply of cholera vaccines has run out, and any outbreak of the disease will put additional strain on the vaccine production system, according to the information from a joint article by WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, TASS reports
“By January 2024, global vaccine reserves had run out. Any new cholera outbreak would place additional stress on the current fragile vaccine production ecosystem,” the authors of the article indicate.
They also note that, amid shortages of drug supplies, active cholera outbreaks continue in 23 countries.
“Cholera threatens the lives of more than 1 billion people, but pharmaceutical companies do not produce cholera vaccines because of their low profitability, since the disease affects the poorest people. Lack of cholera vaccine production capacity limits our ability to respond to outbreaks and conduct prevention campaigns. Increasing global production of cholera vaccines remains an important challenge in the medium to long term. Zambia currently expects to produce enough vaccines to protect at least 2.4 million people at risk of cholera in the country,” the material reads.
The critical situation was not settled by switching from the standard two-dose vaccine regimen to a single-dose vaccine, which would have maximised the use of remaining vaccine supplies. The authors summarise that as the number of outbreaks continues to rise, investment in local cholera vaccine production capacity is becoming ‘a critical element in the fight against the disease’.
“The global community must provide the necessary support by investing in the creation of production capacities and guaranteeing orders for the supply of vaccines,” experts underline.
