The World Health Organization (WHO) has allocated 16 million dollars from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies to address the cholera issue.
Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of WHO, announced this during an online press conference. He explained that the organization is taking various actions, including providing essential supplies, coordinating ground-level responses with partners, aiding countries in cholera detection, prevention, and treatment, and educating people on how to safeguard themselves.
Dr. Ghebreyesus also emphasized that the ultimate solution to cholera lies in ensuring universal access to clean water and sanitation, which is a recognized human right worldwide.
He shared that recent data from WHO indicates a significant increase in reported cholera cases in 2022 compared to 2021, with preliminary data for 2023 suggesting the situation might worsen. In 2023, 28 countries have already reported cases, compared to 16 during the same period in 2022.
The countries currently facing the most concerning cholera outbreaks include Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, and Sudan. While some progress has been made in Southern African nations like Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, these areas remain at risk, especially as the rainy season approaches.
The most affected regions are typically impoverished, lacking access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities. They also experience shortages of oral cholera vaccine and other necessary supplies. Health workers in these areas are stretched thin, dealing with multiple disease outbreaks and other health emergencies.
Dr. Ghebreyesus also touched on the status of COVID-19. He noted that, as the northern hemisphere approaches winter, there are concerning trends. Hospitalizations and ICU admissions have increased over the past month, particularly in the Americas and Europe, according to data from the relatively few countries that report them.
He expressed concern over low vaccination rates among the most at-risk groups, highlighting that while two-thirds of the global population have received a complete primary vaccine series, only one-third have received an additional or “booster” dose.
Dr. Ghebreyesus emphasized that while COVID-19 may not be as acute a crisis as it was two years ago, it should not be ignored. Countries have invested significantly in building systems to respond to COVID-19, and these systems need to be sustained to protect people from COVID-19 and other infectious threats. This includes maintaining systems for collaborative surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to countermeasures, and coordination.