The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), has launched a continental emergency plan to combat cholera amid a surge of infections in Sudan.
The initiative, unveiled in Lusaka, Zambia, aims to improve early detection, strengthen rapid response, and enhance cross-border cooperation to curb recurrent outbreaks often worsened by climate shocks and weak health systems.
The urgency is highlighted by Sudan’s escalating crisis, where health officials reported more than 1,200 new cases and 36 deaths in just one week.
Since the outbreak began in May, at least 158 people have died.
Ongoing conflict and a crumbling health infrastructure have severely hampered treatment efforts.
Health experts warn that without coordinated action, the preventable and treatable disease could spread further.
The new plan is seen as a critical step toward saving lives and building resilience against future outbreaks.
Authorities stress that long-term investment in clean water, sanitation, and vaccines remains essential to ending cholera’s deadly impact across Africa.
