New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that India has dispatched relief material, including medicines, to Zambia to assist in managing the ongoing cholera outbreak. Jaishankar expressed India's solidarity with Zambia during this challenging period, emphasising the importance of international cooperation in times of crisis.
Jaishankar posted on X along with a photograph of relief material consignments. He wrote, "India stands with Zambia in this trying time. India sends Humanitarian Assistance to Zambia in wake of the cholera outbreak."
The aid weighing approx 3.5 tons comprises water purification supplies, chlorine tablets and ORS sachets. Was handed over today by our High Commissioner to the Government of Zambia, he said.
Zambia's Cholera Outbreak
As per AP, Zambia is currently grappling with one of its most severe cholera outbreaks in decades, with more than 400 fatalities and over 10,000 infections recorded since October. The outbreak has prompted authorities to take urgent measures, including the closure of schools nationwide following the end-of-year holidays. The situation has escalated to the extent that a large soccer stadium in the capital city of Lusaka has been repurposed into a treatment facility to accommodate the overwhelming number of patients in January.
Health Minister Sylvia Masebo has characterised the outbreak as a nationwide crisis, with cholera detected in nearly half of Zambia's districts and nine out of its ten provinces. Despite intensive efforts, the country continues to report over 400 new cases daily, underscoring the magnitude of the challenge at hand, as per AP.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has expressed alarm over the high fatality rate of approximately 4% observed during the three-month outbreak, significantly surpassing the typical mortality rate of less than 1% when cholera is promptly treated. The situation in Zambia is part of a broader trend across southern Africa, with neighboring countries such as Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe also grappling with recent cholera outbreaks, reported AP.
Additionally, Zambia has received support from international partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), which has provided oral cholera vaccines to bolster the country's vaccination efforts.
However, challenges remain, particularly regarding vaccine supply shortages. With global cholera outbreaks straining vaccine availability, organisations like Gavi have warned that shortages could persist until 2025, highlighting the need for sustained international cooperation and support, reported AP.