The Federal Government of Nigeria on Wednesday initiated dialogue with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) to obtain emergency supplies of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) as the country battles the disease amid the global shortage of the vaccines.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, said in Abuja that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, was leading the discussions with GAVI.
The NCDC had on Wednesday, announced an increase in the death toll and spread of cholera across 32 states and 115 local government areas of the country.
Idris stated that GAVI, a global health partnership, plays a pivotal role in improving access to vaccines in low-income countries and that through these negotiations, Nigeria aims to secure an emergency supply of cholera vaccines to curb the outbreak.
“Cholera vaccines are not stocked in our public facilities, though they are available in limited quantities in the private sector. But vaccines alone are not the only preventative measures we have at the moment; we must also ensure environmental cleanliness and proper hand hygiene,” he said.
He explained that there is a surge in global demand for cholera vaccines, leading to severe shortage, even though he noted that the limited supply has strained efforts to control outbreaks in endemic regions, including Nigeria.
“Poor sanitation, inadequate clean water supply, and limited healthcare infrastructure have exacerbated the spread of the disease, but in response to the crisis, the NCDC has intensified its public health campaigns, emphasising hygiene practices and the importance of clean water.
“However, these measures alone are insufficient without adequate vaccination coverage. The shortage of vaccines has hampered mass immunisation campaigns, crucial for preventing the spread of cholera.
“The situation in Nigeria underscores broader issues of global health equity and preparedness. It highlights the necessity for increased vaccine production and distribution infrastructure investment,” the report by Vanguard newspaper on Thursday quoted Idris as saying.
GIK/APA
Cholera outbreak: Nigeria shops for emergency vaccines
