One billion people exposed to cholera, a “pandemic of the poor”, denounces the UN

A worrying spread. One billion people in 43 countries are at risk of cholera, the UN warned on Friday May 19. Although the means to stop this “pandemic of the poor” are well known, the resources are desperately lacking to implement them.

The UN needs $640 million to fight the infectious disease. So far this year, 24 countries have reported cholera outbreaks, up from 15 in mid-May last year. Countries that are not usually affected are now victims of the cholera vibrio and the mortality rate far exceeds the usual 1% rate.

An unattractive vaccine for manufacturers

Cholera causes diarrhea and vomiting and can be particularly dangerous for young children. Henry Gray, one of the WHO officials in charge of fighting the scourge, blamed the increase in cases on poverty, conflict, climate change and the displacement of populations they cause.

More than 18 million doses of vaccine have been requested this year but only 8 million are available, forcing prevention campaigns to stop. The WHO has also been forced to recommend a single dose of vaccine instead of two to save more people, but at the risk of protecting them for less time.

The product is not very attractive to manufacturers because there is no market in rich countries. Cholera cases have steadily declined over 10 years, but the trend reversed in 2021. The worst-affected countries so far this year are Malawi and Mozambique. Nine other countries are deemed to be in “acute crisis”: Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Syria, Zambia and Zimbabwe.