Federal Government Commenced Discussions With The Global Alliance For Vaccines And Immunization (GAVI) To Secure Emergency Supplies Of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCVs).

Following a cholera outbreak in the country, as Nigeria battles cholera despite a global vaccine shortage, the Federal Government yesterday commenced discussions with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) to secure emergency supplies of oral cholera vaccines (OCVs).

The Director, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, who made this known in Abuja, said the Coordinating Minister of Health and Human Services, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, is leading the discussions with GAVI.

This comes after the NCDC yesterday announced rising deaths and increased spread of the disease in the 32 states and 115 local government areas of the federation.

Full protection requires two doses of one of the three vaccines, which are given only to high-risk people or groups, such as travelers to areas with active cholera transmission or people living in areas where cholera outbreaks are occurring.

Nigeria has three oral cholera vaccines pre-approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO), including Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol-Plus.