Zambia to receive 1.6 million doses of cholera vaccine
Zambia’s Ministry of Health will receive on Monday 1.6 million doses of cholera vaccine, to aid in the country’s fight against the virulent disease.
The arrival of the vaccines, delivered by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), will enable Zambia launch a nationwide vaccination campaign targeting cholera hotspots.
Health Minister Sylvia Masebo said the vaccination campaign would be conducted in a phased approach targeting people aged one year and above.
A total of 9,155 people have been affected since the waterborne disease broke out in October while 362 have died.
The outbreak prompted the government to postpone the reopening of schools, initially scheduled for January 8, by three weeks.
The government has since put in place stringent measures aimed at curbing further spread of the disease.
Some of the measures include a ban on shallow wells, prohibition of bedsitters from accessing cholera treatment centers, restriction of trading of food in unsanitary conditions, prohibition of funeral gatherings for people dying of cholera, and a two-hour maximum limit for church sessions.
