8 October 2019, Khartoum, Sudan – Ahead of the launch of the oral cholera vaccination campaign this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) is training the health care providers, vaccinators and health volunteers who will be on the ground vaccinating at least 1.6 million people in the states of Blue Nile and Sinnar.
More than 280 trainers from WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health are working with 3560 vaccinators, more than 2240 social mobilizers, and almost 70 independent monitors who will be deployed to the 2 affected states as part of the campaign.
“We want to ensure that the teams contributing to the campaign are equipped with the right skills and knowledge to protect the health of the Sudanese people and all people in Sudan,” said Dr Naeema Al-Gasseer, WHO Representative in Sudan. “All the members of this team are key players in ensuring that no vulnerable man, woman or child is missed.”
The training covers educating communities on the benefits of the vaccine, addressing misconceptions, identifying suspected cases, providing proper storage and administration of the vaccine, and ensuring accurate reporting for monitoring and evaluation.
The first round of the campaign aims to reach all at-risk people above the age of one living in targeted localities in the 2 states over 5 days. A second round will follow in the coming weeks to ensure that already vaccinated people are provided with a second dose for maximum protection of at least 3 years.
The oral cholera vaccination campaign is a key intervention within the cholera response plan of the Federal Ministry of Health, implemented jointly with WHO, UNICEF, health partners, and supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
No cholera-related deaths have been reported since mid-September 2019.
