Sadc for synchronised cholera vaccinations, campaigns

Southern African Development Community (Sadc) leaders have agreed to implement synchronised cross border cholera vaccination campaigns and mobilise vaccines as one strategy of combating the outbreak.

This was discussed during a virtual meeting on Friday at whose end a communiqué was issued.

The meeting was held amid a surge of cholera cases within the Sadc region.

According to the communiqué, the Sadc leaders have also agreed to strengthen regional collaboration on cross-border outbreak risk assessment and public health surveillance to enhance early detection and prevention of outbreak-prone diseases.

Reads part of the communiqué: “Member states must develop and implement multi-sectoral cholera response plans that encompass natural disasters and climatic effects on cholera re-emergence to effectively control its spread.

“They [member states] must also increase investment in the current cholera emergency response while maintaining long-term investment for a sustainable solution to the recurrent cholera crisis.”

According to the communiqué, the Sadc leaders also agreed to increase budget allocation towards water, sanitation and hygiene (Wash) programmes as well as strengthening accountability tools for monitoring such programmes.

This is apart from increasing investment in Wash infrastructure, developing and implementing climate-resilient Wash and disaster risk reduction programmes to prevent future cholera outbreaks.

Besides, the leaders further agreed to accelerate local and regional manufacturing of cholera vaccines to scale up production and increase access to commodities such as oral rehydration solutions and cholera beds.

Leaders that attended the meeting include President Lazarus Chakwera, Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, Angolan President Joao Manuel Lourenco, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Namibia Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba, Kingdom of Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Dlamini and Tanzania Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.

Other countries that had ministerial representation include Botswana, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kingdom of Lesotho, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Madagascar.

Meanwhile, Hichilema has been chosen the regional cholera champion to lead the fight against.