Addressing Global Vaccine Scarcity: World Health Organization Prequalifies Third Cholera Vaccine in Four Years

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently prequalified the Euvichol-S cholera vaccine on April 19, marking a significant step towards addressing the global vaccine scarcity. This new vaccine is administered orally and is said to be as effective as existing options, but with a simpler formula. It is the third type of cholera vaccine to receive prequalification by WHO, following Euvichol and Euvichol-Plus. The agency hopes that this new vaccine will increase production capacity, aiding in disease control and alleviating the global cholera vaccine shortage that has been ongoing since October 2022. Currently, the global stockpile contains about 2.3 million doses, with an estimated total of 50 million doses expected by 2024.

Prequalification by WHO signifies that the vaccine meets standards for quality, safety, and effectiveness. This allows United Nations agencies such as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to procure the vaccine for distribution to many countries. The number of cholera cases has been on the rise globally since January 2023, with more than 824,000 cases and 5,900 deaths reported. The Middle East and Africa have seen the highest number of cholera patients. The WHO attributes the outbreak to increased global temperatures, which has led to a longer lifespan of disease-causing bacteria, resulting in the highest death rate from cholera in a decade.

In January 2024, countries facing outbreaks requested around 79 million doses of the vaccine, but stockpiles continued to dwindle. One of two cholera vaccine manufacturers ceased production at the end of 2022, leaving only one supplier and contributing to the supply shortage. Vietnam currently utilizes a highly effective mORCVAX cholera vaccine that was domestically researched and produced by Shantha Biotechnics until it ceased production in late 2021. Dr. Bach Thi Chinh from VNVC Vaccination System notes that cholera is an acute infectious disease in