Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo –
An estimated 80,000 children are at severe risk of cholera as heavy rains sweep across West and Central Africa, exacerbating outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Nigeria. UNICEF regional director Gilles Fagninou warned that a perfect storm of flooding, displacement and strained health systems could spark a devastating surge in cases.
The DRC is the hardest‑hit country, with more than 38,000 cases and 951 deaths reported in July alone, 25.6% of them children under five. High‑risk provinces include South Kivu, North Kivu and Tanganyika, where poor sanitation and limited access to clean water are fueling transmission. Hospitals in Kinshasa have been overwhelmed by surging cases, and the city’s case fatality rate has reached 8%.
Chad reported 55 suspected cases and four deaths at the Dougui refugee site near the Sudanese border, where overcrowding and unsafe water have left displaced children especially vulnerable. In Nigeria, cholera remains endemic; by June the country had recorded 3,109 cases and 86 deaths across 34 states.
UNICEF and regional health authorities are calling for a rapid scaling‑up of clean water, sanitation and medical supplies to curb transmission. Fagninou said children were paying the highest price and warned that without swift intervention the crisis could spiral further. Neighboring countries, including Chad, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Niger, Liberia, Benin, the Central African Republic and Cameroon, have been placed on high alert due to heightened risk of cross‑border spread.
Source: Africanews
