2025 has been a rollercoaster for Africa's health scene, mixing big wins like disease elimination milestones with tough challengestThink the continent's worst cholera crisis in 25 years. 😷🌍
As Dr Edna Moturi, UNICEF Regional Health Emergency Specialist for Eastern and Southern Africa, says: 'For children and vulnerable communities, 2025 has been a complex landscape marked by the recurrence of public health emergencies. We have seen outbreaks of cholera, mpox, viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Marburg, and also Ebola.' That’s a lot for any healthcare system to handle.
Worryingly, routine immunization programs have stalled or even dipped this year. That means vaccine-preventable diseases like polio and measles are making an unwelcome comeback. 💉🚫
Cholera: Africa's Worst Outbreak in 25 Years
By November 2025, Africa CDC reported around 300,000 cholera cases and over 7,000 deaths—a 30% jump from last year. Cholera is a serious diarrheal disease that can turn deadly fast when clean water and proper sanitation aren't in place.
Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Nigeria have been hit hardest, showing just how uneven access to basic services can be across the continent.
In August, Africa CDC teamed up with the WHO to launch the Continental Cholera Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for Africa 1.0. With heads of state pledging to control and eliminate cholera by 2030, this plan aims to boost surveillance, improve water safety, and ramp up vaccine stockpiles.
What's next? Strong partnerships, targeted funding, and community-led solutions will be key. For young change-makers and health advocates watching from South Asia to Southeast Asia, the message is clear: global health is interconnected. Supporting better water and vaccine programs everywhere helps protect all of us. 🤝💧
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
