Coverage of Two-Dose Preemptive Cholera Mass Vaccination Campaign in High-Priority Hotspots in Shashemene, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract Background Cholera is a public health priority in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian National Cholera Plan elaborates a multi-year scheme of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) use. Aligned with this, a preemptive OCV campaign was conducted under our Ethiopia Cholera Control and Prevention project. Here, we present the OCV vaccination outcomes. Method Cholera high-priority hotspots in the Oromia Region, Shashemene Town (ST) and Shashemene Woreda (SW), were selected. Four kebelles (Abosto, Alelu, Arada, and Awasho) in ST and 4 clusters (Faji Gole, Harabate, Toga, and Chabi) in SW were study sites with OCV areas nested within. A total of 40 000 and 60 000 people in ST and SW, respectively, were targeted for a 2-dose OCV (Euvichol-Plus) campaign in 11–15 May (first round [R1]) and 27–31 May (second round [R2]) 2022. Daily administrative OCV coverage and a coverage survey in 277 randomly selected households were conducted. Results The administrative OCV coverage was high: 102.0% for R1 and 100.5% for R2 in ST and 99.1% (R1) and 100.0% (R1) in SW. The coverage survey showed 78.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 73.1–82.9) of household members with 2-dose OCV and 16.8% (95% CI: 12.4–21.3) with no OCV in ST; and 83.1% (95% CI: 79.6–86.5) with 2-dose OCV and 11.8% (95% CI: 8.8–14.8) with no OCV in SW. The 2-dose coverages in 1–4-, 5–14-, and ≥15-year age groups were 88.3% (95% CI: 70.6–96.1), 88.9% (95% CI: 82.1–95.7), and 71.3% (95% CI: 64.2–78.3), respectively, in ST and 78.2% (95% CI: 68.8–87.7), 91.0% (95% CI: 86.6–95.3), and 78.7% (95% CI: 73.2–84.1) in SW. Conclusions High 2-dose OCV coverage was achieved. Cholera surveillance is needed to assess the vaccine impact and effectiveness.