African countries lack ‘immediate access’ to cholera vaccine

By CARA ANNA
Associated Press

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Africa’s public health agency says countries with deadly cholera outbreaks on the continent have no “immediate access” to vaccines amid a global supply shortage. The acting director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told journalists on Thursday that the agency is working with the World Health Organization and the vaccine alliance GAVI on ways to obtain more doses. He said the Africa CDC is also working with two local manufacturers to explore if their facilities can be repurposed to manufacture cholera vaccines. WHO and partners agencies recommended in October that countries temporarily switch to using a single dose.