Africa Faces Escalating Cholera Outbreak: 'Things Will Worsen' - African cholera outbreak worsens: "The situation deteriorates"
The African continent is grappling with a growing cholera epidemic, with cases reported in 23 countries, according to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reported nearly 1,000 cholera deaths, while North Darfur faces the threat of famine with over 4,300 cholera cases reported by the UN Refugee Agency.
In response to the surging cholera outbreaks, international agencies and local programs have implemented a multi-pronged approach to address the crisis. This strategy includes anticipatory funding, improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, vaccination campaigns, and enhanced surveillance and coordination.
Anticipatory funding and rapid response have been crucial in the DRC. Following recent surges in cholera cases, the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund released $750,000 to WHO, UNICEF, and partners to provide immediate WASH support, health services, and community engagement to contain outbreaks.
Vaccination efforts have also been a key part of the response. UNICEF has been delivering cholera vaccines alongside WASH supplies in affected regions, such as South Sudan and the DRC. However, global stocks of oral cholera vaccine remain below emergency threshold levels.
Improving WASH infrastructure is critical due to limited access in crisis zones. UNICEF and partners prioritize water and hygiene supply delivery to both treatment centers and vulnerable communities, especially with compounding factors like heavy rains and displacement increasing transmission risks.
Improving coordination and surveillance is another essential element. The Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) promotes targeted, data-driven cholera responses by identifying Priority Areas for Multisectoral Interventions (PAMIs). Training and guidance are offered in multiple languages to help countries like South Sudan and the DRC strengthen outbreak detection, cross-border coordination, and joint interventions for mobile populations.
Long-term, integrated strategies are also being advocated for. Research emphasizes the need for multisectoral, multidisciplinary approaches grounded in the "One Health" concept and genomic surveillance to develop innovative, context-specific prevention strategies, recognizing environmental and zoonotic factors in cholera transmission.
However, these strategies face challenges in regions like Darfur and South Sudan, where infrastructure is severely limited. International agencies collaborate with local programs to overcome these barriers through emergency funding, rapid WASH improvements, vaccination drives, and community engagement.
Unfortunately, the response to the cholera crisis has been hampered by factors such as the US government's decision to stop funding from USAID, insufficient vaccine supplies, and unstable environments. The disease disproportionately affects the weakest and poorest populations, often living in cramped conditions without access to clean drinking water in slums or neglected rural regions.
In Tawila, where around 370,000 people fled after an attack by the RSF militia, the number of cholera cases is increasing. Workers on the ground report catastrophic hygienic conditions, with not enough latrines, clean water, and medical care. UNICEF has warned that more than 80,000 children are at high risk of cholera due to the start of the rainy season in West and Central Africa, as floods can contaminate water sources with fecal matter.
The CDC Director General, Jean Kaseya, has criticized the shortage of cholera vaccines, stating that the continent needs 54 million doses annually but only half are available. The situation in the East Congo and Sudan is particularly dire due to conflicts and poor security, making aid work difficult and dangerous.
In conclusion, the ongoing cholera epidemics in African crisis regions require a concerted effort from international agencies, local programs, and donors to address the challenges posed by limited infrastructure, insufficient vaccine supplies, and unstable environments. The current response blends emergency humanitarian assistance with strategic planning to mitigate cholera's spread despite constrained resources and fragile settings typical of these African crisis regions.
- To effectively combat the increasing cholera cases in African crisis regions, international agencies and local programs have united under a multifaceted approach that includes the implementation of community policies addressing health and health policy, focusing on anticipatory funding, improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, vaccination campaigns, enhanced surveillance, and coordination.
- Recognizing the need for a long-term, integrated strategy, these efforts emphasize multisectoral, multidisciplinary approaches grounded in the "One Health" concept and genomic surveillance, aiming to develop innovative, context-specific prevention strategies while tackling environmental and zoonotic factors in cholera transmission.
