Mozambique. Cholera vaccination planned for 1.7M people in five days in Nampula

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique. Cholera vaccination planned for 1.7M people in five days in Nampula

10:19 CAT | 15 May 2025

File photo: UNICEF Mozambique

Mozambique’s health authorities aim to vaccinate 1.7 million people against cholera in four Nampula province districts in five days, in an oral vaccination campaign that kicks off on Saturday, it was announced on Wednesday.

According to the head of the Public Health department at the provincial health services of Nampula, Geraldino Avalinho, the vaccination campaign will cover, until the 21st, all people aged one year or over in all of the neighbourhoods of the city of Nampula and in Murrupula, Angoche and Larde.

“In order for this activity to reach its goals, more than 1,700 teams have been mobilized to be deployed in the districts, each consisting of a vaccinator, a recorder and a mobilizer,” the official explained at a press conference.

Geraldino Avalinho recalled that the vaccination campaign has been the last resort used to combat the disease and, fin the case of his campaign, the level of misinformation about cholera precipitated its launch.

According to the official, about two weeks ago, a group of more than 10 individuals tried to invade the residence of the chief doctor of Murrupula district, allegedly because he was leading the team that spreads cholera..

“A security team had to be activated to prevent the worst from happening. So far, we have no information to the contrary about the condition of the colleague, which means that he was not approached and is in good health,” Avalinho said.

In this scenario and so as to ensure the safety of the vaccination team, a group of military personnel will be allocated to the districts of Murrupula and Nampula, with the campaign taking place door to door, in markets and fairs, to reach the target group.

Health authorities in Nampula declared the end of the cholera outbreak in the district of Mogovolas this week, the head of Public Health also announced, but new cases of the disease were reported in the districts of Nampula and Angoche.

“At the moment we have four districts with an active outbreak”, added Geraldino Avalinho.

The cholera outbreak in Nampula was declared on October 17, 2024, in the district of Mogovolas, and since then there have been a total of more than three thousand infected people and 39 deaths caused by the disease.

Source: Lusa