The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised alarm over a growing cholera crisis in West and Central Africa, estimating that at least 80,000 children are at high risk of infection as the rainy season intensifies across the region. Heavy rains, flooding, and mass displacement are fueling the spread of the disease, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Nigeria emerging as the hardest-hit countries.
In the DRC alone, July recorded over 38,000 cholera cases and 951 deaths, with Kinshasa experiencing a sharp surge due to intensive rainfall and widespread flooding. Nigeria, where cholera is endemic and outbreaks have repeatedly occurred in recent years, reported 3,109 suspected cases and 86 deaths by the end of June. Other countries including Chad, the Republic of Congo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo are also battling ongoing epidemics, raising fears of a regional health emergency.
UNICEF has mobilized emergency responses, delivering lifesaving health, water, and sanitation supplies, supporting vaccination campaigns, and scaling up community engagement to curb the spread. However, the agency warns that the crisis could escalate without urgent funding and international support. UNICEF West and Central Africa has appealed for $20 million over the next three months to strengthen health systems, expand WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) interventions, and intensify risk communication and outreach efforts to protect vulnerable populations, especially children.
As the rainy season continues to create perfect conditions for the waterborne disease to spread, health experts are urging swift action to prevent further loss of life and avoid a large-scale cholera outbreak across multiple countries in the region.
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