The World Health Organization (WHO) noted a sharp rise in cholera infections and fatalities in 2023, underscoring the urgent need for more aggressive efforts to fight this avoidable illness. The most recent statistics shows that cholera deaths increased by 71% and cases increased by 13% over the preceding year. In a news conference, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underscored the gravity of the situation by pointing out that 4,000 people died from cholera last year, despite the disease being easily preventable and treated.
The increase in cholera outbreaks was caused by a number of reasons, including as poverty, displacement, poor water and sanitation, conflict, and climate change. These factors have made the disease more likely to spread, especially in areas with poor resources and infrastructure. There has been a significant shift in the distribution of cholera cases, with a startling 125 percent spike in Africa and a 32 percent drop in the Middle East and Asia.
There have been 2,400 cholera-related deaths and over 342,000 cases reported so far this year in 22 countries where outbreaks are still ongoing. The war-torn nation of Sudan, which reported a cholera outbreak last month as a result of heavy rains, is among the hardest-hit areas. The WHO’s technical expert on cholera, Philippe Barbosa, has suggested that the true number of cases and fatalities from the disease may be as low as 100,000 per year. This suggests that the true scope of the problem has likely been underreported.
Barbosa emphasized the moral imperative to address the situation by pointing out that there is little cost involved in averting these deaths. Tedros urged a rise in vaccine manufacturing in reaction to the growing numbers. Merely 36 million doses were manufactured in the previous year, which was half of what the impacted countries had asked for. Tedros encouraged additional businesses to enter the market to address the rising demand for cholera vaccines, as EuBiologics, based in South Korea, is now the only producer.
Tedros emphasized that while vaccination is an important part of cholera control, improvements in sanitation, hygiene, and clean drinking water are also necessary for long-term solutions. Cholera is a disease that usually spreads by contaminated food and water. It is characterized by severe diarrhea, vomiting, and cramping in the muscles. To properly treat the cholera crisis and avoid future outbreaks, it is still imperative to guarantee long-term access to clean water and adequate sanitation.
SOURCE :
BARRON’S
