Maputo, Mozambique — Health officials in Mozambique are preparing a massive cholera vaccination campaign in Quelimane, a city severely affected by Cyclone Freddy earlier this month. The director of health for Zambézia province, Blayton Caetano, told state radio on Tuesday that the two‑week drive aims to curb the soaring number of cholera cases in the storm’s aftermath. Quelimane suffered significant damage when Cyclone Freddy passed over Mozambique a second time, killing 19 people and displacing 50,000 into temporary housing.
Caetano said that, as a precaution, everyone in the city will be vaccinated. “We are ready to start the vaccination campaign, and I think that in 24 or 48 hours we will begin the process, with a greater focus on the city of Quelimane,” he explained. “The vaccination criteria are that all Quelimane residents, with or without cholera, will be vaccinated so that in two weeks we can start registering a reduction in cholera cases.”
In a recent media statement, UNICEF reported that as of March 18 nearly 10,000 cholera cases had been reported across Mozambique, more than tripling the figures from early February. On Tuesday Mozambique received 1.7 million doses of cholera vaccine from UNICEF to launch the campaign. The Ministry of Health said the doses are intended for the cities of Quelimane in Zambézia province, Chimoio in Manica province, and Beira and Marromeu in Sofala province. Quelimane, in particular, has seen a sharp rise in cases due to floods and the destruction of its water‑supply network by Cyclone Freddy.
With the tap water supply disrupted, thousands of Quelimane residents have been traveling by vehicle or on foot with buckets and other containers in search of alternatives. Most people now rely on well water, which may be contaminated. Health authorities warned that stocks of water purifiers are running low and advised those who can afford it to purchase the product from private sellers rather than wait for free distribution.
At the same time, Mozambique is confronting a humanitarian crisis in the north, where the government is battling an Islamist insurgency. An estimated two million people in that region need assistance.
Comments are closed for this story.