Zambia launches oral cholera vaccination drive to contain outbreak

Zambia launched an oral cholera vaccination campaign on Friday, targeting Lusaka — the capital and epicentre of the current outbreak — and Chibombo District in Central Province, health authorities said (Xinhua via CGTN, Lusaka Times).

More than 500,000 vaccine doses have been allocated to the two districts in the first phase, with an additional 480,000 doses expected to arrive soon for distribution to other affected areas.

Health Minister Roma Chilengi said at the launch that the targeted campaign aims to protect people in the hardest-hit areas while making efficient use of limited global vaccine supplies. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating cholera as a public health threat and thanked cooperating partners and the private sector.

The outbreak, confirmed in Lusaka on July 28, 2026, has spread to 12 districts across five provinces. Cumulative cases stand at 966, including 43 new cases in the previous 24 hours — with no deaths reported in that window — and 25 deaths since the outbreak began.

Chilengi said cholera remains largely associated with unsafe water, poor sanitation, inadequate waste collection and limited public awareness, and that oral vaccination complements early detection, case management, surveillance, and safe water and sanitation.

Residents are urged to take the vaccine when teams reach their wards, and those with watery diarrhoea are advised to seek immediate treatment.