Eastern and Southern Africa are battling one of the most severe cholera outbreaks in recent history, with more than 178,000 cases and nearly 2,900 deaths reported between January 2024 and March 2025. The crisis has spread across multiple countries, including Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, South Sudan, Burundi, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
Health systems are overwhelmed and millions are at risk. The cholera outbreak has reached alarming levels, with Malawi experiencing its deadliest outbreak on record with over 1,660 deaths and thousands of children infected across all 29 districts.
Mozambique seeing cases nearly quadruple since February 2023, and South Sudan reporting 19,122 cases and 262 deaths as of February 10, 2025.
Ethiopia faces intensifying challenges as a prolonged drought weakens water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems, increasing vulnerability to disease.
Children who are under the age of 15 account for up to 52% of cholera cases in some affected nations due to malnutrition, poor sanitation, and limited healthcare access heighten their risk, with many dealing with severe dehydration and complications.
Due to the extreme weather events like droughts, floods and tropical cyclones, clean water supplies and sanitation infrastructure have been disrupted accelerating the spread of cholera. Experts say that climate related disasters will continue to occur in vulnerable regions.
Also, many countries lack the resources to contain the outbreak, leading to high fatality rates. Overstretched hospitals face shortages of medical supplies, while remote communities struggle to access treatment.
Following recent developments, UNICEF has appealed for $71 million to bolster health, water, and sanitation services, emphasizing the need for rapid intervention.
Additionally, vaccination campaigns are underway, with Mozambique vaccinating over 719,000 children since 2023 while WASH infrastructure improvements remain critical to preventing future outbreaks, but funding gaps persist.
Health officials warn that without immediate scaled-up interventions including vaccines, clean water access, and healthcare support the outbreak could worsen. As climate change and instability strain fragile systems, long-term solutions are essential to breaking the cycle of disease. The cholera outbreak in Eastern and Southern Africa demands urgent attention and action.
Source: World Health Organization
