Preventive cholera vaccination resumes after global vaccine supply rises

WHO, UNICEF and Gavi said increased global oral cholera vaccine supplies now allow preventive vaccination campaigns to restart, with Mozambique the first country to receive doses; about 20 million OCV doses are being deployed for prevention.

Health agencies report that preventive cholera vaccination campaigns are restarting because global vaccine supplies have increased. Mozambique will be the first country to resume preventive vaccination after campaigns were halted in 2022. The pause followed a global surge in cholera that began in 2021 and strained vaccine stocks. Officials say the preventive doses are being financed by Gavi and procured and delivered by UNICEF. Key facts: - Global reports show more than 630,000 cases of cholera or acute watery diarrhea from 33 countries from January 2025 through January 2026, with 7,800 deaths reported. - Oral cholera vaccine (OCV) production rose from about 35 million doses in 2022 to nearly 70 million in 2025, according to officials. - Of roughly 20 million OCV doses being deployed for prevention, 3.6 million have been delivered to Mozambique, 6.1 million to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and 10.3 million are slated for Bangladesh. - Mozambique has experienced severe flooding that affected more than 700,000 people and damaged water systems, increasing risk of cholera transmission. - Health agencies note that cholera spreads through water and food contaminated by the Vibrio cholerae bacterium and causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. Summary: Resuming preventive vaccination follows a sustained increase in global OCV supply, allowing agencies to relaunch campaigns that were paused during the surge in cases. Deployment of about 20 million doses is underway in several countries, and Mozambique is the first to receive delivered doses as part of the relaunch.