DR Congo launches cholera vaccination campaign for 1.5 million
The vaccination drive in Équateur province aims to curb the spread of the disease which has caused 18 deaths.
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo launched a large-scale cholera vaccination campaign on Friday, November 6, in Mbandaka. This first phase targets nearly 1.5 million people in nine health zones within Équateur province that are severely affected by the epidemic.
The campaign, which runs until November 12, seeks to vaccinate individuals aged one year and older. Since the outbreak began, the province has recorded 142 cholera cases and 18 fatalities. The official launch ceremony took place at the Mbandaka 2 market, presided over by Body Robert Ilonga Bompoko, secretary-general at the Ministry of Health.
Interim provincial governor Thomas Boyenge Ifaso urged local authorities, community leaders, and health partners to support the vaccination teams. He also expressed hope that future vaccination phases would extend to other affected health zones.
Why it mattersNearly 1.5 million people in DR Congo's Équateur province are being vaccinated against cholera, a disease that has already caused 18 deaths.