JOINT CHOLERA INITIATIVE FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA WORKSHOP

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Health experts drawn from five SADC countries (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Angola), along with members from the donor community from the region and beyond, gathered in Harare, Zimbabwe to explore better ways of collaboration and information sharing under the theme, „’Strengthening cholera preparedness and response within priority/at risk countries‟ under the Joint Cholera Initiative in Southern Africa (JCISA) platform.

JCISA is a multi-agency technical partnership bringing together the WHO, UNICEF, UNOCHA and Oxfam, formed in 2009 in response to the regional cholera outbreak to “strengthen regional capacity and collaboration in order to ensure more timely, integrated and effective technical support to countries in the areas of cholera preparedness, response and resilience”.

Workshop Goal and Objectives

The participants‟ key objectives at the workshop were to;

1. Formalize an agreement on sharing regular and current epidemiological information among five priority countries.
2. Establish communication channels between affected countries through designated focalpoints.
3. Increase understanding of market based responses to cholera including the use of OCV as
   part of preparedness and response interventions.
4. Introduce participating countries and partners to UNICEF‟s regional Cholera Strategy.
5. Disseminate and learn from the findings of the desk review on Knowledge, Attitudes and
   Practices (KAP) related to WASH, cholera prevention, control and response interventions
   in the JCISA Priority Countries.