WHO emphasises WASH strategy for holistic elimination of Cholera

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3 years ago

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that the fight against Cholera is more than just vaccination as the need to address issues around Water Sanitation and Hygiene(WASH) remains holistic and critical in epidemic control efforts.

It said this brings to bear the need for improved coordination of cholera control efforts and ensure that clean and safe water as well as improved hygienic practices as highlighted in the Cholera control plans are implemented in a sustainable manner to ensure the world achieves the desired goal.

WHO Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Molumbo, in his remark at the WHO training on the integration of Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) in emergency and preventative contexts said WHO is cognizant of the need to implement quality campaigns and the operational challenges in different contexts.

Molumbo also said Nigeria has demonstrated the capacity to implement campaigns in difficult settings, including security challenges as experienced in the 2 LGAs in Zamfara as well as addressed and improved Campaign data quality, through the use of real-time reporting by vaccination teams using hand mobile phones.

“We believe that the vast experience built-in Nigeria over the years in implementing mass vaccination campaigns will come to bear, as we prepare for these preventive campaigns.

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“We are confident that the opportunity of this training for knowledge sharing from the three levels of the organisation and the multiple country participants, will not only help improve on the gaps identified but also ensure that countries are better prepared to request, plan and implement quality campaigns with OCV as part of their national Cholera control plans and further contribute the long-term goal of Ending Cholera by 2030.

“Pursuant to addressing equality and equity issues and ensuring reduction in zero doses children in alignment with the Gavi 5.0 and the Immunisation Agenda 2030, we must ensure that all opportunities of vaccination campaigns are used to specifically target areas with huge zero doses and ensure that these often-missed children are not only offered OCV but opportunities for all routine vaccination.

“We look forward to the outputs of this training and assure you of WHO Nigeria’s support to the Government of Nigeria in implementing the NCP (when finalised), including ensuring quality vaccination campaigns while also monitoring and evaluating the implementation of this plan.

Similarly, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, in his Goodwill Message disclosed that the traditional measures for cholera prevention and control have been to provide potable water and improve hygiene and sanitation.

Ehanire further maintained that Science has, however, over the years, risen to the task, with the development of the oral cholera vaccine, now certified as effective enough to be recommended for disease prevention and control and availability of the vaccine has unfortunately been limited, which has restricted its use and the much-expected impact.

“I, therefore, welcome this training as a prelude to equitable access to this vaccine, and another step towards our goal of better health for all.

“I believe it will strengthen our health system by reducing or even removing one more public health nuisance by vaccination.

“I implore all participants to make the best use of this opportunity and put in their best in the one-week training to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to use the vaccine to eliminate cholera as a recurrent health problem.”

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WHO emphasises WASH strategy for holistic elimination of Cholera