South Africa often experiences cholera outbreaks due to cross-border movements. A cholera outbreak in 2023 led to the death of 47 people and over 1400 reported cases, but neighbouring countries like Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe experienced far higher cases and deaths
Cholera-infected patients wait to receive medical treatment. FILE PIC
Researchers in South Africa on Tuesday launched clinical trials on the first domestically developed vaccine.
The oral cholera vaccine — developed by the Cape Town-based pharmaceutical firm Biovac — is currently undergoing trials to determine its safety in adults and will be followed by trials to compare it to existing cholera vaccines that are already in the market.
Depending on the results, the vaccine could be approved and ready for use in Africa by 2028, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said.
South Africa often experiences cholera outbreaks due to cross-border movements. A cholera outbreak in 2023 led to the death of 47 people and over 1400 reported cases, but neighbouring countries like Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe experienced far higher cases and deaths.
The trials are being held in the provinces of Gauteng, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, where cholera cases have previously been reported.
The World Health Organisation estimates that as many as 4 million people around the world are affected by cholera every year, with between 21,000 and 143,000 people dying from it annually.
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