Ethiopia launches cholera vaccinations amid rising Gambella Region outbreak

Ethiopian authorities have launched a cholera vaccination campaign in the southwestern part of the country. The campaign is part of the efforts to contain a rising cholera outbreak in the Gambella Region, near the border with South Sudan. In a statement, the Ministry of Health said that vaccinations will be conducted in all parts of the region and refugee camps, targeting at least one million people at risk. On March 31, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned that a humanitarian crisis is “rapidly unfolding” on both sides of the Ethiopia-South Sudan border, with violence, displacement, and cholera pushing local communities to the brink. According to MSF, the current outbreak in Gambella is tied to a cholera wave in South Sudan, which began in the Upper Nile State.
The World Health Organization (WHO) also raised the alarm about the situation, warning that the outbreak in Gambella has spread to eight districts and several refugee camps. Urgent support is needed for local health facilities, while the lack of safe water and sanitation remains a key obstacle to contain the spread of the disease. Humanitarian agencies have also noted that clashes between government forces and armed groups in South Sudan have increased cross-border movements, with refugees and injured people fleeing in Ethiopia. These movements are contributing to escalating the cholera outbreak in the Gambella Region.