from JEAN KASSONGO in Kinshasa, DRC
DRC Bureau
KINSHASA, (CAJ News) – MORE than 6 000 people died of cholera worldwide in 2024.
The year saw an increase in both the number of people who fell sick and died from the disease.
Reported cases rose by 5 percent and deaths by 50 percent from the previous year.
Conflict, climate change, population displacement, and long-term deficiencies in water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure continue to fuel the rise of cholera.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), whose Africa head office is in Congo Brazzaville, reports that 60 countries reported cases in 2024, an increase from 45 in 2023.
The burden of the disease remained concentrated in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, which collectively accounted for 98 percent of all reported cases.
The case fatality ratio for Africa increased from 1,4 percent in 2023 to 1,9 percent in 2024, revealing critical gaps in the delivery of life-saving care, and signaling the fragility of many health systems, along with challenges in access to basic health services.
WHO added that a quarter of deaths occurred in the community, outside of health facilities, highlighting serious gaps in access to treatment and the need to strengthen work with communities.
To combat cholera, governments, donors and communities are urged to ensure people have access to safe water and hygiene facilities, have accurate information on how to protect themselves, and rapid access to treatment and vaccination when there are outbreaks.
“Strong surveillance and diagnostics will help guide these responses. Further investment in vaccine production is also needed,” WHO advised.
Cholera is caused by the bacterium, vibrio cholerae, which spreads rapidly through faeces-contaminated water.
– CAJ News