Title: The global resurgence of cholera in 2023: an alarming situation requiring sustained mobilization
Introduction :
Cholera, a potentially fatal diarrheal disease, continues to represent a major public health challenge across the world. According to a recently published report from the World Health Organization (WHO), a significant resurgence of cholera cases was observed in 2023 in 17 countries spread across four regions. This alarming situation highlights the importance of sustained public health measures to combat this disease.
A worrying observation:
According to the WHO report, the countries most affected by this resurgence of cholera are Zambia and Zimbabwe. These two countries have recorded the highest number of cases, highlighting the continuing challenges of containing this disease. In all, 30 countries across five WHO regions reported cholera cases in 2023, with nine countries recording more than 10,000 cases.
The shortage of vaccines against cholera:
The report also highlights the shortage of oral cholera vaccines (OCV) which continues to affect the global response to this disease. Between January 2023 and January 2024, an urgent request for 76 million vaccine doses was made by 14 countries, while only 38 million doses were available during this period. The global vaccine stockpile is waiting to be replenished and all production until March 8 will be allocated to already approved requests.
An emergency situation:
The global resurgence of cholera was classified as a Grade 3 emergency by the WHO in January 2023, the highest domestic emergency level. This highlights the scale of the problem and the need for continued mobilization to prevent the spread of the disease.
Conclusion :
The global resurgence of cholera in 2023 highlights the importance of sustained public health measures to combat this disease. The shortage of vaccines and the rapid spread of cholera in many countries require immediate and coordinated action by global health authorities. Raising awareness of good hygiene and sanitation practices, as well as implementing effective vaccination and treatment programs, is essential to contain the spread of cholera. Only a global and concerted approach will prevent future resurgences of this deadly disease.