A global stockpile of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) has been created, as an additional tool to help control cholera epidemics. Over the period July 2013 /June 2014 the stockpile will have available 2 million doses of vaccine.
The OCV stockpile, is managed as a rotating fund, by the International Coordinating Group (ICG) which already manages similar stockpiles of meningococcal meningitis and Yellow Fever vaccines for outbreak response.
The ICG is comprised of four decision making partners: the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and WHO, which also serves as the Secretariat.
The ICG members will continue to communicate with partners and stakeholders to increase awareness of the OCV stockpile, placing vaccine in the context of an integrated cholera response which is based around early detection, case management, provision of safe water, sanitation, and raising awareness among the affected communities.
November 2013
Resource:
More information, applications and guidance is available here:
http://www.who.int/cholera/vaccines/ocv_stockpile_2013/en/index.html
http://www.who.int/cholera/vaccines/ocv_stockpile_2013/en/index.html
