- Supply adequate to vaccinate 65,000 people to prevent 
  outbreaks

- Funds for purchase donated by Korean government for use in 
  humanitarian emergencies

The IVI and Crucell, a vaccine producer in the Netherlands, provided cholera vaccine to Myanmar to assist this Southeast Asian country in preventing outbreaks of cholera following the recent cyclone that devastated the country.

A local official checks oral cholera vaccines, supplied by
the IVI and Crucell, at a refrigerated storage in Myanmar.

In response to a request to the IVI from the Ministry of Health of Myanmar, the IVI negotiated acquisition of 136,680 doses of the oral recombinant B subunit-killed whole cell cholera vaccine, produced by Crucell. This vaccine is the only cholera vaccine approved by the World Health Organization for use in developing countries. Half of the doses were purchased by IVI, at a price negotiated  at Crucell’s actual production cost, and the other half were donated by Crucell.

The number of doses is enough to vaccinate more than 65,000 people, as two doses are required to immunize an individual. The internationally licensed vaccine was transported via air to the Ministry of Health in Myanmar on August 7, 2008. Funds to purchase the vaccines  came from a donation by  the Republic of Korea to the IVI  for cholera relief and control in emergency settings.

The IVI’s shipment of vaccines to Myanmar was part of an international effort to provide relief to victims of the cyclone that ravaged the country on May 2.

Myanmar, with a population of 55.4 million, is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia. According to WHO, about 2.4 million people were affected by Cyclone Nargis, which struck the Ayeyarwaddy Delta,Yangon, and five southern divisions and states. More than 80,000 people reportedly died, with an estimated 50,000 missing. 

Experts say diarrhea, fever, and respiratory diseases are the most common health problems encountered following such a disaster. “The populations affected by the cyclone in Myanmar are at immediate risk of contracting communicable diseases, including cholera and typhoid fever,” said Dr. Anna Lena Lopez, an IVI epidemiologist who oversaw the vaccine disbursement.

Cholera and typhoid fever are endemic in the region. Following the destruction and flooding wrought by the cyclone, the immediate risk of waterborne diseases is significant. “Risk factors for cholera transmission include crowding, poor access to safe drinking water, inadequate hygiene and poor sanitation facilities. Also, the destruction of infrastructure may lead to unsafe food handling practices,” Dr. Lopez said.

“The cholera vaccine that we provided, which has been proven effective against cholera in populations living in conditions with poor water and sanitation, can significantly reduce the risk of cholera among the local population,” said Dr. John Clemens, Director-General of the IVI.

“The cholera vaccine supply to Myanmar was especially significant to the IVI because we were able to respond to their request in a time of crisis” Dr. Clemens said. “The IVI will seek to expand our role in helping people in dire health emergencies, such as those following floods and earthquakes.”