Eastern and Southern Africa, 178,000+ cholera cases in 15 months

From January 2024 to March 2025, UNICEF reported more than 178,000 cholera cases in 16 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. Of these cases, children under 15 years of age accounted for 50% of cases in South Sudan (40,000 cases, with 694 deaths) and 40% in Angola (over 7,500 cases and 294 deaths). The disease has caused nearly 2,900 deaths overall, many of them children. According to Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, limited access to water, adequate sanitation, and treatment is a specific risk factor, especially during droughts, floods, and disease outbreaks. The impacts of climate shocks on key infrastructure, such as reservoirs and water supply pipelines, have led to the depletion and contamination of groundwater, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, and typhoid, which can be fatal for most vulnerable. To address these challenges, UNICEF collaborates with various stakeholders, including governments, civil society organisations, and communities, to promote access to clean water, reliable sanitation, and basic hygiene practices. These efforts aim to safeguard the health of children and prevent the spread of infectious diseases in the region. UNICEF calls upon governments and stakeholders in the region to allocate sufficient funding to construct resilient systems that can withstand climate shocks by ensuring continued access to safe water and sanitation.