Cholera Vaccines to Bolster Nigeria’s Fight Against Outbreak – Gavi

The Chief Executive Officer of Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, Dr. Sania Nishtar, has announced that cholera vaccines will soon arrive in Nigeria to help combat the ongoing outbreak. This positive development aims to curb the spread of the deadly disease.

Dr. Nishtar shared the news on her X handle on Thursday, emphasizing Gavi’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s response to the cholera outbreak. She highlighted that Gavi is ready to provide emergency vaccine doses as needed to help contain the situation.

Cholera, a highly contagious disease caused by the ingestion of the Vibrio cholerae bacterium through contaminated water and food, has seen a rise in cases due to the rainy season, which often leads to flooding and compromised water sources. The need for vaccines has become critical as the outbreak continues to affect numerous regions.

As of July 15, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported 3,623 suspected cholera cases and 103 deaths across 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The outbreak has spread to 187 Local Government Areas, with a cumulative case fatality rate of 2.8% since the beginning of the year.

Dr. Nishtar’s post on Thursday read, “Encouraged to learn that #Cholera vaccines from the #Gavi-funded global vaccine stockpile will soon arrive in Nigeria to help curb the country’s deadly and ongoing outbreak. We stand ready to work with our partners #UNICEF and #WHO to support Minister #muhammadpate, #Fmohnigeria, and #NCDCgov’s timely efforts to contain this outbreak and protect those at the highest risk.”

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, expressed gratitude towards Gavi’s CEO for facilitating the arrival of the vaccines. He also thanked President Tinubu for his leadership in establishing a multi-sector cabinet committee to support the Emergency Operations Centre led by the NCDC. Prof Pate mentioned, “We are seeing early signs of slowing down but we’ll not relent as the situation can reverse. So, the cholera vaccines strengthen our hands.”

This collaborative effort marks a significant step towards controlling the cholera outbreak and protecting the health and well-being of those most at risk in Nigeria.