Mozambique has become the first country in the world to resume preventive vaccination against cholera, following the suspension of this strategy in 2022 due to the global rise in cases and vaccine shortages, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday, January 4.
According to the organization, the resumption of vaccination comes at a particularly critical moment, marked by an active cholera outbreak and flooding that has already affected more than 700,000 people in several regions of the country, many of whom have been displaced. The floods have damaged essential infrastructure, disrupted health services, and compromised water supply systems, increasing the risk of the spread of waterborne diseases.
The WHO stated that, after Mozambique, preventive vaccination will also be resumed in Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These countries were selected based on criteria defined by the Global Task Force on Cholera Control, a partnership comprising more than 50 international organizations.
Information from Gavi, UNICEF and the WHO indicates that an initial shipment of 20 million doses of oral cholera vaccine is being distributed to the three countries, with Mozambique receiving 3.6 million doses.
“Global vaccine shortages forced us to react to outbreaks instead of preventing them. We are now in a stronger position to break this cycle,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Global annual supplies of oral cholera vaccine have doubled in recent years, increasing from 35 million doses in 2022 to nearly 70 million in 2025, with funding provided by Gavi and procurement and distribution ensured by UNICEF.
For Gavi’s Chief Executive Officer, Sania Nishtar, the sustained rise in cholera cases has demonstrated that “the affordable and sustainable supply of vaccines is a global public good.”
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stressed that the resumption of preventive vaccination will help better protect the most vulnerable populations. “This measure will protect children and help contain a highly contagious disease, but it must be accompanied by improvements in access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation,” she said.
The oral cholera vaccine is considered safe and effective and is recommended for people over one year of age. A single dose provides short-term protection for at least six months, while two doses ensure protection for up to three years.
Cholera is transmitted through contaminated water or food and causes severe diarrhoea and dehydration, and can be fatal if not treated promptly.
