Tools & technical guidance

Technical recommendations for cholera prevention, control and elimination

Spotlight resources

GTFCC cholera outbreak response field manual
Download the field manual
Pami technical guidance
Learn more about PAMI identification
GTFCC cholera app
Download the app

Working Groups

The GTFCC Technical Working Groups develop and update multisectoral technical recommendations to support partners and countries in their effort to control outbreaks and eliminate cholera. Publications include guidance on strategic planning (e.g. National Cholera Plan elaboration guide) and operation-oriented outputs such as field manuals, job aids, forms/templates and training curricula. These resources are available in English, with some translations also provided in Arabic, French, and Portuguese, and the telephone application also available in Russian and Ukrainian.

Learn more about the Working Groups

Children lying on beds in hospital tent.

Focus

The WG has made significant progress to improve clinical management and increase access to cholera treatment. This includes intervention strategies and general and detailed recommendations on the treatment of patients in both outpatient (ORPs) and in-patient cholera treatment facilities (CTUs/CTCs) as well as recommendations on the setup and management of the structures.

The Case management working group develops recommendations and tools on standards of clinical management, including assessment and triage of patients, treatment plans and job aids to support quality patient care. Recommendations have been published on the treatment of specific at risk populations including pregnant women and children with severe acute malnutrition.

Future priorities focus on enhancing community-based care models to support decentralized treatment, enhancing clinical data collection to improve clinical management of patients.

Highlights

  • Risk factors of cholera mortality (2022)
    Review of published literature highlighting risk factors for cholera deaths are both individual (e.g. age, sex) and collective (e.g. issues of access to treatment).
    Download the resource
  • GTFCC technical note on the organization of case management during a cholera outbreak.
    Download the resource
  • GTFCC guidance on antibiotic use (2022)
    Literature review and recommendations on appropriate use of antibiotics for patients at high risk of dying of cholera.
    Download the resource
  • Guidance for ORP Management
    Tools and checklists for ORP setup and operation.
    Download the resource

Explore all the Case Management resources

Hand holding pencil filling in sample form.

Focus

The Epidemiology Working Group develops guidance and tools for strengthening cholera surveillance for the early detection of outbreaks and their reliable monitoring as well as for improving the use of surveillance data to better guide effective targeted strategies for effective control.

The Working group has been instrumental in developing public health surveillance guidance, and methods for identifying Priority Areas for Multisectoral Interventions (PAMIs).

Highlights

Explore all the Epidemiology resources

A lab technician wearing protective clothing handling petri dishes.

Focus

The Laboratory Working Group has developed recommendations on testing strategies for cholera, laboratory procedures, as well as practical bench aids and standardized reporting tools to support laboratorians.

The group aims to strengthen laboratory capacities through promoting minimum standards for sample collection, sample transport, testing with rapid diagnostic tests, laboratory confirmation of cholera and other essential areas supporting high-quality public health laboratory services.

Highlights

Explore all the Laboratory resources

A green tray with vaccines.

Focus

The OCV Working Group elaborates and updates normative guidance for the planning and implementation of cholera vaccination campaigns (preventive and reactive). The working group reviews vaccine application guidelines and manages the supply allocation framework (SAF) for prioritizing vaccine dispatch. The group is also working on documenting OCV use and refining tools for campaign monitoring and evaluation.

Highlights

Explore all the Oral Chloera Vaccine (OCV) resources

A pair of hands showing tablet over orange plastic water can

Focus

The WASH Working Group is dedicated to providing cholera-specific normative guidance and promoting research and innovation in WASH interventions.

Recent accomplishments include the publication of environmental surveillance guidelines, increasing visibility at high-level meetings, and enhancing the evidence base for WASH strategies.

Highlights

Explore all the Water, sanitation & hygiene (WASH) resources