Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Director for Enteric and Diarrheal Diseases at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Dr. Anita Zaidi has emphasized that the innovation in cholera vaccinations that has begun to be sent to Zambia and Somalia has the potential of saving people’s lives.
Dr. Zaidi says the Euvichol-Plus – a cholera vaccine which is in a new and smart-design packaging, has the potential of saving people’s lives in Cholera hit areas.
Dr. Zaidi says Euvichol-Plus, which is priced at about $1.30 per dose, is 25 percent cheaper than Euvichol, which will enable aid and vaccine delivery organizations to procure more vaccines at the same cost.
She explains that the new packaging is 25% cheaper, 30% smaller and 50% lighter than the previous version, which was packaged in a bulkier glass vial.
She furthermore explains that this means health workers can carry more vaccines at once, resulting in more vaccines delivered and, most importantly, more lives saved.
On January 5, the first shipment of Euvichol-Plus was sent to Zambia and Somalia to help fight outbreaks of cholera.
2.45 million Doses have been sent to the two countries.
Dr. Zaidi was speaking to our staffer Albert Mpezeni from London via telephone.