Global Rollout Of Cholera Rapid Diagnostic Tests Spearheaded By WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has unveiled initiatives to distribute rapid diagnostic tests for cholera in response to rising global infection rates.

As per a declaration from the UN health body, more than 1.2 million diagnostic kits will be allocated to 14 high-risk nations in the forthcoming period, as indicated in a statement by the UN health agency.

It was noted that nations heavily impacted by cholera outbreaks, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Syria, and Zambia, will be provided with kits in this unprecedented worldwide distribution in the coming weeks.

The WHO disclosed that Malawi has been delivered the initial batch of tests, signaling the commencement of a global diagnostic initiative aimed at bolstering outbreak detection capabilities.

The programme is a collaborative effort, with funding and coordination managed by the Gavi Vaccine Alliance and procurement overseen by the United Nations Children’s Fund.

Both WHO and the Global Task Force on Cholera Control are providing their support for the initiative.

The aim of the programme is to assist countries in accelerating and enhancing the accuracy of cholera outbreak detection and response by strengthening routine surveillance and testing capabilities, as highlighted by the organizations.

Gavi’s Chief Programme Officer, Aurelia Nguyen, the critical impact of the announcement is the fight against the disease amid a significant increase in cholera cases worldwide.

Cholera, caused by a bacterium typically transmitted through contaminated food or water, results in diarrhoea and vomiting and poses a significant risk to young children.

Global cholera cases reported to WHO in 2022 reached 473,000, doubling from the previous year, with preliminary data suggesting over 700,000 cases were reported the following year.

The surge in outbreaks has led to a surge in vaccine demand from affected countries, creating a global shortage despite an eighteen-fold increase in the global supply of oral cholera vaccines between 2013 and 2023, as indicated in Friday’s statement.

As a result, preventive vaccination campaigns have been delayed to prioritize doses for emergency responses to outbreaks.

Simultaneously, the occurrence of repeated outbreaks in countries where emergency vaccination drives have already been conducted underscores the urgent need for swift and accurate identification of areas with ongoing or emerging transmission, according to the statement.

Head of UNICEF’s supply division, Leila Pakkala, said, “Surveillance diagnostics play a crucial role in pinpointing specific hotspots, enabling partners to strategically allocate cholera vaccines where they can save the most lives,”