May 26, 2022
NewsOn May 25, 2022, the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) held its annual side event in observance of the World Health Assembly, hosted at the headquarters of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Geneva, Switzerland. The event – titled Commitments and Re-Commitments: Leveraging Partnership and Collaboration to End Cholera – highlighted inspiring examples of countries’ resilience in fighting cholera, showcasing their perseverance, organization, and ingenuity to control the disease despite extreme pressures on resources and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – Director-General of the World Health Organization – headlined the event and formally introduced the GTFCC’s new global cholera champion, His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia, who provided a video address. Dr. Tedros thanked the task force for the “steadfast commitment” to cholera control and credited the GTFCC for the “notable successes we have to celebrate.”
The event displayed a high degree of political commitment, thanks in part to the involvement of six Ministers of Health, a record for the side event. Ministers were present from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zanzibar. Other country representatives in attendance included the Director General for Health from Kenya, the Director of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care from Zimbabwe, and ministerial representatives from Bangladesh and Nepal.
Several key partners also participated in the event, highlighting the value of multisector partnership in cholera control and prevention efforts. These partners included the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Violaine Mitchell), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Thabani Maphosa), IFRC (Jagan Chapagain and Xavier Castellanos Mosquera), Médecins Sans Frontières (Maria Guevara), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (Erika Placella), UNICEF (Carlos Navarro), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (John Vertefeuille), WaterAid (Julia Schalk), Wellcome (Gordon Dougan), and the World Health Organization (Ibrahima Socé Fall, alongside the Director-General).
In addition to three “dialogue discussions,” two countries – Kenya and Ethiopia – officially launched their National Cholera Plans (NCPs) during the event. These plans received endorsements from the GTFCC’s Independent Review Panel after undergoing formal review processes.
