Zambia launched an oral cholera vaccination campaign on Friday. This campaign is aimed at Lusaka, the capital, which is the epicenter of the current outbreak, as well as the Chibombo district in the country's Central Province.
In the first phase of the campaign, it is planned to allocate over 500,000 vaccine doses for these two districts. Additionally, another 480,000 doses are expected to arrive for distribution in other affected areas.
During the launch of the campaign, Health Minister Roma Chilengi stated that the goal of this targeted action is to protect the population in the most affected areas while ensuring the effective use of limited global vaccine supplies.
He affirmed the government's commitment to eradicating cholera as a public health threat. The Minister also expressed gratitude to partners and the private sector for their support in providing vital medical services to affected communities.
Chilengi reported that the outbreak has spread to 12 districts across five provinces in Zambia. According to the Minister, there have been a total of 966 cases of cholera registered in the country, including 43 new cases in the last 24 hours, and 25 deaths.