Voice of America
28 Mar 2023, 23:35 GMT+10
Maputo, Mozambique - Health officials in Mozambique are set to hold a massive cholera vaccination campaign in Quelimane, a city hit hard by Cyclone Freddy earlier this month.
The director of health in Zambezia province, Blayton Caetano, told state radio Tuesday that the two-week vaccination drive is aimed at bringing down the soaring number of cholera cases in the aftermath of the historic storm.
Quelimane suffered significant damage when long-running Cyclone Freddy passed over Mozambique a second time this month, killing 19 people in all and forcing 50,000 others into temporary housing.
Caetano said that as a precaution, everyone in the city will be vaccinated.
Caetano says, 'we are ready to start the vaccination campaign and I think that in 24 or 48 hours we will start a vaccination process for cholera with greater focus on the city of Quelimane. He says, "vaccination criteria is that all Quelimane residents with or without cholera, including those of us in this room, we are going to vaccinate against cholera so that in two weeks we can start registering the reduction of cholera cases."
In a recent media statement, the U.N. children's fund, UNICEF, said that as of March 18, nearly 10,000 cases of cholera had been reported across Mozambique, more than tripling case reports since early February.
On Tuesday, Mozambique received 1.7 million doses of cholera vaccine, obtained by UNICEF, to start the vaccination campaign.
The Ministry of Health said in a statement that the newly arrived doses are intended for the cities of Quelimane in Zambezia province, Chimoio in Manica province and Beira and Marromeu in Sofala province.
Quelimane, in particular, recorded a significant increase in cases, a situation caused by floods and the destruction of the water supply network by Cyclone Freddy.
Due to the lack of drinking water in the taps, in recent days thousands of Quelimane residents have been traveling in vehicles or on foot with buckets and other containers, looking for alternatives.
Most people consume water from wells, which may be contaminated.
Health authorities have warned that the stock of water purifiers is running out and recommend that those who have money buy the product from private sellers instead of waiting for free distribution.
At the same, Mozambique has to deal with a humanitarian crisis in the north, where the government is fighting an Islamist insurgency. An estimated 2 million people need assistance there.
Get a daily dose of International Travel News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to International Travel News.
More InformationSANTA CLARA, California: Executives at Nvidia have quietly been cashing in on the AI frenzy. According to a report by the Financial...
NEW YORK, New York - Global stock indices closed with divergent performances on Tuesday, as investors weighed corporate earnings, central...
TORONTO, Canada: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced late on June 29 that trade negotiations with the U.S. have recommenced...
Vancouver, Canada: A high-stakes legal showdown is brewing in the world of athleisure. Lululemon, the Canadian brand known for its...
LONDON, U.K.: British oil giant Shell has denied reports that it is in talks to acquire rival oil company BP. The Wall Street Journal...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stock markets closed firmly in positive territory to start the week Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones...
EVERGLADES, Florida: Over the weekend, a diverse coalition of environmental activists, Native American leaders, and residents gathered...
NEW DELHI, India: India has decided not to allow a United Nations (UN) investigator to join the investigation into the recent Air India...
BANGKOK, Thailand: This week, Thailand implemented land border restrictions, including a ban on tourists traveling to Cambodia, as...
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 2 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that the Maharashtra Tourism Minister...
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 2 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that tourists from the state who were...
New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lauded the decision of the Union cabinet to approve the construction...