The arrival of rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits for cholera in Malawi signals the start of a global program that will see more than 1.2 million tests distributed to 14 countries at high risk for cholera over the next several months.
Countries that will receive kits in the coming weeks in this large global deployment include those currently severely impacted by cholera outbreaks, such as Ethiopia, Somalia, Syria, and Zambia. This program will improve the timeliness and accuracy of outbreak detection and response by boosting routine surveillance and testing capacity and helping rapidly identify probable cholera cases. Critically, it will also help countries monitor trends and build an evidence base for future preventive programs.
The global cholera diagnostics program is funded and coordinated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), with procurement and delivery to countries led by UNICEF, and undertaken in collaboration with the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC), and WHO. It was developed in partnership with FIND, who led development of a target product profile describing the required characteristics of cholera RDTs, and other organizations. These initial shipments signal the start of the program, which aims to see partners deploy RDTs to additional countries that have expressed interest in the future. Long-term sustainability of the program depends on successful fundraising for Gavi’s next strategic period, from 2026 to 2030.
