Global cholera vaccine supply has increased enough to allow the restart of life-saving preventive campaigns for the first time in over three years, Gavi, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO) announced in a statement. Mozambique is the first country to resume preventive vaccination, following the 2022 halt caused by a global surge in cholera cases that drove up demand and led to shortages of oral cholera vaccine stocks.
The preventive vaccination campaign begins amid an ongoing cholera outbreak and the aftermath of floods that affected more than 700,000 people and displaced many. The floods disrupted health systems and damaged water infrastructure, further raising the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera. “Global vaccine shortages forced us into a cycle of reacting to cholera outbreaks instead of preventing them,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “We are now in a stronger position to break that cycle.”
A first allocation of 20 million doses is being deployed for preventive campaigns. Of these, 3.6 million doses were delivered to Mozambique, 6.1 million to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is also experiencing significant outbreaks, and 10.3 million doses are planned for delivery to Bangladesh. Following sustained efforts by global agencies, manufacturers, and partners, annual global supply of oral cholera vaccine has doubled from 35 million doses in 2022 to nearly 70 million doses in 2025. The doses are financed by Gavi and procured and delivered to countries by UNICEF.
“For the first time in years, this increase in vaccines will allow us to better prevent large-scale cholera emergencies,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “Resuming preventive cholera vaccination will protect children and help stop this highly contagious disease in its tracks. But it must go hand in hand with other efforts, including better access to safe water and basic sanitation.”
The three countries were chosen based on allocation criteria set out by the Global Task Force for Cholera Control, a partnership of over 50 organizations, to ensure cholera vaccines for preventive campaigns are distributed systematically, equitably, and transparently. The oral cholera vaccine is safe and effective and recommended for individuals over 1 year of age. One dose provides short-term protection for at least six months, while two doses provide protection for three years.
More than 600,000 cases of cholera or acute watery diarrhea and nearly 7,600 deaths were reported to WHO from 33 countries last year, although these are underestimates as cholera remains underreported. Since 2021, global cholera cases have risen year after year, with a decline observed in 2025, though cholera deaths have continued to increase. Vaccination is only one aspect of cholera prevention and response. Long-term investments in safe water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, alongside disease surveillance, rapid treatment, and community engagement, remain essential to prevent outbreaks and reduce deaths in the long term.
