Africa CDC, WHO unveil continental plan to eliminate cholera

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa region, in collaboration with African Union Member States, have launched a Continental Cholera Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for 2025–2026.

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The plan, announced by Africa CDC in a LinkedIn post on Friday, seeks to reduce cholera deaths by 90 per cent and eliminate the disease in more than 20 countries by 2030.

It also aims to strengthen rapid-response vaccination campaigns and boost investments in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) across the continent.

Africa CDC said the region continues to bear the heaviest burden of the disease, accounting for about 82 per cent of global cases and 93.5 per cent of cholera-related deaths.

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It also noted that fragile, conflict-affected and underserved communities remain the most vulnerable.

Cholera burden

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

It can kill within hours if untreated, though most cases are mild or asymptomatic. The disease thrives in areas with poor access to safe water and sanitation.

This year, Nigeria and several other African countries have witnessed a surge in outbreaks.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported in March that within just five weeks, from 27 January to 2 February 2025, cholera cases rose by 75 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

Deaths linked to the disease increased by a staggering 250 per cent in the same timeframe.

Integrated emergency response

At the heart of the new strategy is the establishment of a Continental Cholera Incident Management Support Team (IMST).

Rather than creating a new body, the IMST will be embedded within the existing mpox response platform, enabling the cholera effort to benefit from shared expertise, streamlined coordination and more efficient use of resources.

The Africa CDC and WHO revealed that the new model will follow the “4-One” principle that guided the mpox response across 26 countries during the 2024–2025 outbreak: one team, one plan, one budget and one monitoring framework.

The approach, the health bodies said, would allow for faster decision-making, joint mobilisation of resources and stronger accountability across Member States.

Roadmap to 2030

The roadmap envisions an Africa free of cholera outbreaks by 2030.

Its central goals include cutting cholera deaths by 90 per cent, maintaining a case fatality rate below one per cent, and eliminating the disease in more than 20 countries.

To coordinate these interventions, a Continental Task Force on Cholera will be established.

Member States will lead its activities, while Africa CDC and WHO will provide secretariat support.

The task force they said, will oversee longer-term interventions including surveillance, vaccination, community engagement and investments in safe water and sanitation.

Both organisations noted that the initiative aligns with the global cholera elimination plan and will help ensure continuity of emergency response operations across multiple health threats.