Cholera: vaccination or improved sanitation?

With a new, cheaper anti-cholera vaccine about to be released, the debate continues on whether it is better to control the disease through vaccination or by improving sanitation practices.

The new vaccine, Shanchol, has been developed by the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), based in Seoul, South Korea. At an expected cost of around US$ 1 (€ 0.70) per dose, Shanchol is much cheaper than the only internationally licensed vaccine, Dukarol, which can cost as much as US$ 30 (€ 22) per dose, far too much for people in the poor countries usually hardest hit by cholera.

Community workers and health officials are, however, sceptical about whether a vaccine is the best way to control cholera, arguing that efforts to control the disease should concentrate on improving access to safe water and sanitation practices.

IVI’s director John Clemens says that a cheaper vaccine 'does not mean diminishing the importance of safe water access.' He added that 'improved water and sanitation is the ultimate, but still far-off, goal for impoverished countries. Meanwhile we need to think about inexpensive ways to augment efforts [to control cholera].'

Related news:

• Cost-benefit analysis: comparisons of investments in improved water supply and cholera vaccination programmes, Source Weekly, 15 May 2009;
• Cholera: incidence under-reported, millions infected every year says WHO, Source Weekly, 18 Feb 2009

Web site: IVI cholera vaccine programme

Source: IRIN, 14 May 2009

Keywords

• Sanitation - Hygiene promotion
• Water quality
• Water-related diseases