Global cholera vaccine supply has increased to a level sufficient to resume preventive vaccination campaigns for the first time in over three years, according to Gavi, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO). Mozambique is the first country to restart preventive vaccination, following a halt in 2022 caused by a surge in cholera cases and global vaccine shortages. The campaign comes amid ongoing outbreaks and recent floods affecting over 700,000 people, which disrupted health and water systems, heightening the risk of waterborne diseases.
A first allocation of 20 million doses is being deployed for preventive campaigns, including 3.6 million doses for Mozambique, 6.1 million for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and 10.3 million planned for Bangladesh. Global supply of oral cholera vaccines (OCV) has doubled from 35 million doses in 2022 to nearly 70 million in 2025, financed by Gavi and delivered by UNICEF. WHO and Gavi officials emphasized that this milestone enables a shift from reactive outbreak response to proactive prevention, while highlighting the importance of expanding production capacity and encouraging additional manufacturers to enter the market.
The three countries were selected based on allocation criteria from the Global Task Force for Cholera Control (GTFCC) to ensure vaccines are distributed equitably and transparently. Preventive vaccination is considered essential to shield communities, particularly children, and reduce the spread of the highly contagious disease, though long-term progress also requires investments in safe water and sanitation infrastructure. The OCV is safe and effective for individuals over one year of age, with one dose providing short-term protection of at least six months and two doses offering protection for up to three years. While preventive vaccination resumes, the one-dose strategy will remain standard for outbreak responses, with two-dose use considered on a case-by-case basis.
