Race Against Time: Cholera Outbreaks Endanger 80,000 Children Across West and Central Africa

DAKAR, 30 July 2025 – As torrential rains sweep across West and Central Africa, a deadly threat is rising alongside floodwaters. According to UNICEF, an estimated 80,000 children are now at high risk of cholera, driven by active outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Nigeria, and the looming danger of cross-border spread to neighbouring countries.

The crisis spans at least twelve countries. Chad, Republic of Congo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo are facing ongoing epidemics, while Niger, Liberia, Benin, Central African Republic and Cameroon remain under heightened surveillance. The need for urgent, scaled-up efforts is becoming critical to contain the disease and protect children’s lives.

“The heavy rains, widespread flooding, and the high level of displacement are all fuelling the risk of cholera transmission and putting the lives of children at risk,” warned Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “With access to safe water and hygiene conditions already dire, urgent action is needed. This is a matter of survival” (UNICEF, 2025).

DRC faces its worst outbreak in years

The DRC has become the epicentre of the crisis. In July alone, the country’s Ministry of Health reported more than 38,000 cholera cases and 951 deaths. Alarmingly, children under five account for over a quarter of infections (25.6 per cent). Provinces most affected include South Kivu, North Kivu, Haut Katanga, Tshopo, Haut Lomami, Tanganyika and Maniema (UNICEF, 2025).

In Kinshasa, conditions have deteriorated sharply following weeks of intense rainfall and flooding. The city is witnessing a surge in cases and an alarming case fatality rate of 8 per cent, stretching an already fragile healthcare system to its limits.

Chad and Nigeria under severe strain

Chad is grappling with suspected cholera cases at the Dougui refugee site near the Sudanese border, where 55 cases and four deaths have been reported. Laboratory testing confirmed Vibrio cholerae in samples collected on 24 July. The affected community, largely made up of displaced children, is living in overcrowded conditions with little access to clean water or sanitation (UNICEF, 2025).

Nigeria, the region’s second most affected country, recorded 3,109 suspected cholera cases and 86 deaths across 34 states by the end of June. Cholera remains endemic in Nigeria, with repeated major outbreaks in recent years (UNICEF, 2025).

Other countries remain at risk

In Ghana, health authorities have documented 612 cases as of 28 April 2025. Côte d’Ivoire reported 322 cases and 15 deaths by mid-July. In Togo, 209 cases and five deaths have been reported as of late June (UNICEF, 2025). Although smaller in scale, these outbreaks underscore the fragile state of water and sanitation infrastructure in the region.

A call for urgent support

Since the start of these outbreaks, UNICEF has been working with governments to deliver lifesaving health supplies and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) interventions. The agency has also supported cholera vaccination campaigns and worked to improve hygiene practices in communities (UNICEF, 2025).

To continue its emergency response over the next three months, UNICEF urgently requires US$20 million to fund critical work in health, WASH, and community engagement.

“We are in a race against time, working hand in hand with the authorities to deliver essential healthcare, safe water, and proper nutrition to children already at risk of deadly diseases and severe acute malnutrition,” said Fagninou. “Together with an array of partners, we are strengthening community engagement and extending our reach to remote and underserved areas, making every effort to ensure that no child is left behind” (UNICEF, 2025).

For millions across West and Central Africa, the coming months will be decisive. Without swift and coordinated action, the lives of thousands of vulnerable children will remain in peril.

Read Also: The Voice of Africa is Now Inside the United Nations