• Cholera, an ongoing pandemic that has persisted for over a century
• IVI conducts large-scale vaccination programs at cholera endemic hotspot areas of Ethiopia

There’s a pandemic that has continued to afflict humanity for over 200 years. Cholera, which first emerged in 1817, is still spreading across the world—its impact hasn’t ended just yet.

While many developed countries have been freed from the burden of cholera, the disease is still rampant in other parts of the world. Today, our story focuses on the Ethiopia Cholera Control and Prevention (ECCP) project, one of IVI’s major vaccine delivery programs around the world.

Vaccines: Our Defense in the Fight to Eradicate Cholera in Ethiopia

Annually, around 2.9 million cholera cases and 95,000 deaths in 69 endemic countries are estimated in the updated global burden of cholera in 2015. Often, cholera remains under-reported in some settings due to limited surveillance capability and accessibility/utilization of healthcare service, etc. At times, cholera outbreaks have been reported vaguely as “acute watery diarrhea” because of economic and social concerns and the stigma attached to cholera as a “disease of the poor.” Currently, Ethiopia is actively responding and fighting cholera to eradicate the disease. IVI’s ECCP project was launched in 2021 with support from LG Electronics, the Korea Support Committee (KSC) for IVI and other Korean donors and is striving to fight cholera through large-scale vaccination campaigns and disease surveillance activities.

The ECCP project aims to provide free vaccinations to around 100,000 residents including children (above one year of age) living in cholera-vulnerable areas and also establish a disease surveillance system to strengthen local public health capabilities. IVI is working closely with the Ethiopian government-affiliated organizations Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) under the umbrella of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MoH), which also includes Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency (EPSA), and government health bureaus of Oromia Region and Shashemene.

IVI also plans to evaluate the effectiveness of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) after the vaccination and collect epidemiological data on cholera and other diarrheal diseases by conducting a prospective disease surveillance for several years. The end goal is to contribute to the government’s policy in combatting cholera and other waterborne diseases, even after the completion of the ECCP project.

100,000 people in Shashemene, Ethiopia Vaccinated in May 2022

A local from the town of Shashemene spoke with our team and said, “Before, we had many difficulties because of cholera. I am very glad the people in our community received vaccination, and I thank IVI and the donors for their help.”

In May 2022, IVI, with funding support from LG Electronics, KSC, and other donors*, was able to conduct a mass cholera vaccination campaign in cholera-vulnerable regions in Ethiopia.

Residents of Shashemene and Woreda received the first OCV dose in early May and the second dose with a two-week dose interval.

The mass vaccination campaign used Euvichol-Plus, which is the oral cholera vaccine (OCV) produced by the Korean vaccine manufacturer EuBiologics. Euvichol-Plus® is a low-cost oral cholera vaccine contained within an innovative plastic tube packaging. Additionally, it is an improved version of Euvichol®, which was developed by IVI and tech-transferred and produced by EuBiologics. The vaccine was prequalified by the World Health Organization(WHO) in August 2017, proving its safety and effectiveness, and has been widely used to fight cholera worldwide. Over 60 million doses of the vaccine have been delivered to over 20 countries, through the WHO’s global OCV stockpile, saving countless lives.

People at the Forefront of Cholera Vaccination

“OCV vaccination campaign will provide the local population at immediate risk of cholera with much-needed protection from the disease,” said Dr. Se Eun Park, IVI’s project lead and principal investigator, adding “our disease surveillance and community risk factor study components will generate enhanced epidemiological data for evidence-informed public health interventions for the Ethiopian government.”

“It is a great pleasure and privilege for me to be part of the ECCP project team, with the mission to contribute to the fight against cholera in Ethiopia and around the world. We feel that our team is at the forefront of vaccination as we are communicating and collaborating closely with local partners here in Ethiopia. More than anything, I feel a strong sense of reward and commitment when I see children greet us cheerfully while getting vaccinated,” said Ms. Yeonji Jeon, Research Assistant at IVI working onsite with Ethiopian partners to support vaccination.

The Fight Against Cholera

Cholera should not be a forgotten disease, as it is a pandemic that has been around for a more than century. To contribute to the WHO’s “Ending Cholera – A Global Roadmap to 2030” initiative and to deliver life and humanity to children in need around the world, IVI people are at the forefront of cholera vaccination today.

*The project was also funded by Rotary International District 3640, Kim & Chang, Korean Association of Otorhinolaryngologists, Korea Pediatric Association, Pfizer Korea, Sky72 Golf Club, EuBiologics, Sartorius Korea, Raphas, Coreana Cosmetics, Korea Support Committee for IVI, and countless individual donors in Korea.

Read more about the AHRI-IVI Collaborating Center here

About Cholera

Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It affects both children and adults and can kill within hours if not properly treated.  According to the WHO, there are 1.4 to 4.3 million cases and up to 143,000 deaths annually: with a disproportionate burden in Africa and South Asia.

Cholera is a disease of poverty and strikes in settings where there is overcrowding and limited access to safe water and sanitation. Explosive and deadly outbreaks can occur following natural disasters and humanitarian crises when systems break down.

Improvements in water quality, hygiene and sanitation have been recognized as essential measures in preventing and controlling cholera. While effective, these are long-term measures and are challenging to implement in low-income countries with limited resources. Oral cholera vaccines can be an effective complementary tool that works in the short- to medium-term, especially during outbreaks when immediate action is needed.

by Cindy Park

Last updated September 29, 2022