Zambia has recorded a total of 556 confirmed cholera cases since the outbreak was first detected in Monze District, Southern Province, Minister of Health Dr Elijah Muchima has told Parliament.
Delivering a ministerial statement on Thursday, Dr Muchima said 552 patients have been successfully treated and discharged, while four individuals remain under medical care.
He said the Ministry of Health has activated a coordinated public health response aimed at containing the outbreak. The measures include enhanced disease surveillance, water safety interventions, and community education campaigns to promote hygiene and prevent further transmission.
However, Dr Muchima revealed that the country’s cholera vaccination programme has been severely constrained by global vaccine shortages. Although the Ministry had planned to immunise 235,000 high-risk individuals, only 1,580 doses have been administered so far due to limited supply.
In response to the shortfall, the Ministry has formally requested 156,000 additional doses through the World Health Organization’s emergency procurement mechanisms.
“This shortage is not merely a logistical challenge; it is a strategic wake-up call,” Dr Muchima said. “We must urgently invest in local manufacturing capacity for essential medical supplies, including vaccines. Continued dependence on external suppliers leaves our population exposed during global health emergencies.”
The Minister assured Parliament that government is ready to roll out a nationwide cholera vaccination campaign as soon as sufficient doses become available.
“Vaccination remains a critical tool in breaking transmission chains. Once supply allows, we will not delay this intervention,” he said.
In the meantime, Dr Muchima urged members of the public to strictly observe basic hygiene practices, including the use of safe drinking water, proper sanitation, and regular handwashing.
“Every household must act as a barrier against this disease,” he stressed.
The outbreak, which began in late October, has renewed scrutiny of water and sanitation systems, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas. Dr Muchima said the Ministry of Health, working alongside the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the Zambia Public Health Institute, is conducting environmental assessments and deploying mobile treatment units to affected districts.
He warned that rising global demand for cholera vaccines—driven by concurrent outbreaks in parts of Africa and Haiti—highlights the urgent need for sustained investment in domestic pharmaceutical production, without which low-resource countries will continue to face vulnerability during health crises.