Cholera Vaccinations Reach Over 2.2 Million Kenyans

The Republic of Kenyan health authorities recently launched its first-ever cholera vaccination drive to bolster outbreak control efforts.

This program was strategically needed as Kenya has recorded more than 7,800 cholera cases and 122 related fatalities as of March 26, 2023.

 The 10-day vaccination campaign launched with support from World Health Organization targeted 2.2 million people in the four worst-affected areas.

Vaccination teams went door-to-door to provide residents with the vaccine at homes, schools, health centers, markets, and other strategic public spaces.

According to Dr. Emmanuel Okunga with Kenya’s Ministry of Health, the vaccination campaign reached about 99% of the target population.

“It has been very successful,” he commented in a WHO Africa article on March 31, 2023.

“We are now monitoring the impact of the vaccine on the number of cases, and we have already seen a decline across the affected counties.”

Cholera infections are caused by ingesting contaminated food or water, with symptoms including acute watery diarrhea, which can quickly lead to severe dehydration.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published Cholera Vaccine recommendations on September 30, 2022. The CDC currently recommends the Vaxchora® vaccine for adult travelers.

The global supply capacity was 36 million oral cholera vaccine doses in 2022, whereas demand exceeded 70 million.

In the first quarter of 2023, 11.7 million doses have been requested (by six countries), of which 2.2 million doses have been shipped.

Other cholera vaccine news is posted at this link.