ZAMBIAN GOVT. ROLLS OUT CHOLERA VACCINE



ZAMBIAN GOVT. ROLLS OUT CHOLERA VACCINE 


By Alfonso Kasongo

Zambian government has commenced the administration of the oral cholera vaccine in an effort to curb the cholera outbreak in the country.

On Tuesday government rolled out  door-to-door vaccination campaign in some peri urban areas, starting with Kanyama and Matero ,some of the affected shanty compounds in Lusaka.

The countrywide cholera outbreak has so far claimed 400  lives,about one-third  of which are children under the age of five.

Cholera is an acute diarrhea infection caused by a bacteria that is typically spread via contaminated food or water. 

The diarrhoeal disease is strongly linked to poverty and inadequate access to clean drinking water.

Health minister , Ms Silvia Masebo,on Monday received 1.4 million doses of oral cholera vaccines from UNICEF.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision approved over 1.7 million doses of oral cholera vaccines for use in Zambia.
 
Ms Masebo said. "About 1.4 million doses have already been received in the country in four separate shipments between the 11th and the 14th of January, 2024.

To further heighten the measures to prevent the transmission of the disease to other parts of the country, Lusaka administration,rolled out the spraying of intercity public service buses entering and leaving Lusaka.

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