DR Cpngo begins major vaccination campaign against cholera in North Kivu

More than 800,000 people will be immunized against cholera in North Kivu, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), following the launch of a major vaccination campaign today. hui.

The campaign will be implemented by the DRC Ministry of Health with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners, and funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. A total of 835,183 people in the Binza, Goma, Kayina, Karisimbi, Kibirizi, Kirotshe and Rutshuru areas will be vaccinated by June 1, 2019. The campaign will deliver the first of two doses of oral cholera vaccine. their inhabitants. After a successful implementation, a second dose administration campaign will take place at a later stage to ensure total protection against cholera.

More than 10,000 cholera cases have been reported in the country since January 2019, resulting in more than 240 deaths. In addition, more than 80,000 suspected cases of measles have resulted in more than 1,400 deaths so far this year, while one case of circulating poliovirus derived from type 2 vaccine has been reported in the province. from Kasai earlier this month.

"The DRC is facing an unprecedented combination of deadly outbreaks," said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, Vaccine Alliance. "While the Ebola outbreak continues to cause indescribable misery in the East, measles and cholera outbreaks are making thousands of victims across the country." That is why we are stepping up our response, through this cholera vaccination campaign, to measles immunizations underway in the health zones affected by the measles epidemics, as well as our continued support for Ebola vaccinations in the DRC and in the United States. neighboring countries. We can not allow this unnecessary suffering to continue.

"Cholera is a preventable disease. Vaccinating people at risk in the most vulnerable health zones of North Kivu against cholera is a major contribution and will protect hundreds of thousands of people against the disease and increase the level of immunity of the population in these areas "said Dr Deo Nshimirimana, Acting Representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo, adding," WHO is working with national and provincial authorities and all partners to ensure that targeted people in these health zones will be reached with the vaccine. "

The 835,183 doses of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) were taken from the global stock of cholera vaccines, fully funded by Gavi. Gavi also supports the operational costs of the campaign. The use of stock for the response to epidemics is managed by the International Coordinating Group (ICG), composed of representatives from WHO, UNICEF, IFRC and MSF.

Since the launch of the stock in 2013, millions of doses of OCV have helped fight outbreaks around the world. In the fifteen years between 1997 and 2012, 1.5 million doses of oral cholera vaccine have been used worldwide. In 2018 alone, the stock provided 17 million doses to 22 different countries. Since the beginning of 2019, more than 6 million doses have already been shipped to cope with epidemics or to control endemic cholera in countries such as Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia and Zimbabwe.

More than two million people have also been vaccinated in the DRC in 72 health zones as part of a Gavi-funded measles response under the Measles and Rubella Initiative (MRI). ). An additional 400,000 people should be vaccinated as part of this response. Gavi will also fund a campaign against measles for 18 million children aged 6 months to 59 months from the end of the year. This will add to Gavi's support for the government's efforts to strengthen routine immunization, which is the best long-term solution against measles outbreaks.

Notes to editors
About Gavi, Alliance Vaccine
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is a public-private partnership committed to saving children's lives and protecting the health of the population by increasing the equitable use of vaccines in low-income countries. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. Gavi uses innovative financing mechanisms to ensure sustainable financing and an adequate supply of quality vaccines. Since 2000, Gavi has helped vaccinate 700 million children and prevent 10 million future deaths. Learn more at www.gavi.org and contact us on Facebook and Twitter.

Gavi, the Immunization Alliance is supported by donor governments (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway , People's Republic of China, Principality of Monaco, Republic of Korea, Russia, South Africa, Spain, State of Qatar, Sultanate of Oman, United Kingdom, Sweden and Switzerland), European Commission, Alwaleed Philanthropies, Fonds de l ' OPEC for International Development (OFID), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well as private and private partners (Absolute Return for Kids, Anglo American plc., The Audacious Alliance, The Children & # 39; s Investment Fund, China Merchants Group, Comic Relief, Deutsche Post DHL, ELMA Foundation for Vaccines and Immunization, Girl Effect, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (IFPW), Gulf Youth Alliance, J P Morgan, Kuwa Fund for Arab Economic Development, La Caixa Foundation, LDS Charities, Lions Clubs International Foundation, Mastercard, Majid Al Futtaim, Orange, Philips, Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever, UPS and Vodafone).