Harare - The Ministry of Health and Child Care, with the support of the World Health Organization, and other partners has immunized over 200,000 people against cholera in the most vulnerable communities. This campaign has reached 22 wards in eight districts: Chegutu, Chiredzi, Chitungwiza, Masvingo, Mhondoro-Ngezi, Mutare Rural, Mt Darwin, and Sanyati.

Harare - The Government of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has officially declared an end to a protracted cholera outbreak that began on 12 February 2023. The declaration was made in line with Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) guidelines following zero reports of cholera cases in Zimbabwe for more than four consecutive weeks.

An oral cholera vaccination (OCV) campaign was launched to protect at-risk populations in cholera-affected woredas (districts) across eight regions: Afar, Amhara, Oromia, Central Ethiopia, South Ethiopia, Sidma and Somali. Covering 89 woredas, including Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and refugee camps (Sudan), the campaign achieved 98.4% coverage, vaccinating over 10,196,575 people.

Malawi has been experiencing frequent cholera outbreaks since it reported the first case in 1973. The most significant outbreaks occurred in the cholera seasons of 1998/1999 and 2001/2002. The worst outbreak occurred recently in 2022/2023 with 53,020 cases and 1,586 deaths (3%CFR). These outbreaks have been common around lake Chilwa in Machinga, Zomba and Phalombe, the Lower Shire in Chikwawa and Nsanje and Lakeshore districts from Mangochi up to Karonga.

It was a regular day in Mwansambo Village, Dwangwa Nkhotakota. Che Wisiki walked in the rain drizzles with his wife Patuma to their home, satisfied they had done enough to guarantee higher yields in the cropping season. Little did they know that these rain drizzles heralding hope would turn into a disaster.

In February 2022, a single case of Wild Polio Virus 1 sent shockwaves in Malawi, a case of a 14-year-old child in Ndirande, Blantyre changing the focus from under 5 routine immunization at birth to children aged 0-15 group as a target to combat the outbreak. The virus was genetically linked to a sequence from Pakistan, detected two years’ prior in Sindh province.

Harare – From August 1 to 7, the world celebrates World Breastfeeding Week. Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and optimal early childhood development, providing babies with their first immunization and all the nutrients required for their optimal brain development and growth. However, many mothers and infants lack the necessary support to start and continue breastfeeding successfully. Globally, only 44 per cent of infants are exclusively breastfed in the first six months of life.