ReliefWeb

WHO has mobilized 510 000 doses of oral cholera vaccine to help control cholera outbreak among high-risk groups in Iraq. The vaccines arrived in the country. The vaccination campaign is planned for beginning of next week, more probably starting the 2nd of November.

The deteriorating security situation in Iraq coupled with the disruption of public health services and increased population displacement makes the conditions favourable for transmitting the disease.

Iraq declared an outbreak of cholera on 15 September 2015. The current number of laboratory confirmed cases is 2171. No deaths reported to WHO. Out of 18 governorates, 15 are reporting cholera cases.

A number of displacement camps housing Syrian refugees and internally displaced Iraqis are at high risk for further spread of the cholera outbreak. Some 255 000 internally displaced people and refugees will receive two doses of the vaccine. Fifteen Inter-Agency Diarrhoeal Diseases Kits and 600 000 chlorine tablets have also been prepositioned in the affected governorates.

In addition to current prevention and control measures, WHO is working with the Ministry of Health to provide OCV in an immunization campaign for vulnerable populations in 62 refugee camps for internally displaced persons and collective centres throughout the country.

2 doses of vaccine are required for an individual to be protected. The campaign begins with an initial round of vaccinations followed by – after a required, minimum 14 days interval – a second round of doses, which will complete the vaccination. For such a campaign to be effective, it is vital that a second dose is administered.

Targeted social mobilization, campaign logistics and health education are key components to ensure the successful implementation of OCV. In order to achieve herd immunity all members of a family above 1 year of age must be vaccinated.

Additional staff from WHO and health cluster partners have been deployed to facilitate the logistics and preparation of the campaign in select locations to ensure as many people as possible are protected.

The provision of safe water, sanitation and personal hygiene will continue to be the critical cholera prevention and control measures. Cholera vaccination is a safe and effective additional tool that can be used under the right conditions to supplement existing priority cholera control measures, not to replace them, and prevention and control measures must be accelerated before, during and after the 2 successive rounds.

To strengthen the country’s health system, WHO has trained approximately 48 national health staff on cholera case management and laboratory confirmation and has deployed a team of international experts under the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) to support the Iraqi Ministry of Health respond to the outbreak.