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UNICEF has reported a staggering rise in cholera cases across Eastern and Southern Africa, with over 178,000 confirmed infections in 16 countries between January 2024 and March 2025.
The outbreak, exacerbated by limited access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare services, has claimed nearly 2,900 lives, many of them children.
“Access to safe water is a fundamental need, vital for the survival and development of our children, and most importantly, a human right,” said Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.
“We have seen the devastating impacts when communities lack water, sanitation, and hygiene services, especially during droughts, floods, and disease outbreaks.”
South Sudan and Angola are experiencing the worst of the crisis. In South Sudan, children under 15 make up 50% of cases, while in Angola, they account for 40 per cent.
Between September 28, 2024, and March 18, 2025, South Sudan recorded over 40,000 cases and 694 deaths, its worst cholera outbreak in two decades.
Angola, between January 7 and March 18, 2025, reported more than 7,500 cases and 294 deaths across 14 provinces, with the risk of further escalation remaining high.
The crisis is compounded by a severe lack of clean water. Data from 2022 showed that nearly 120 million people—half of them children, drink unsafe water in the region.
About 22 per cent of the population has no access to clean water, while 174 million people lack hygiene facilities at home, and at least 71 million practice open defecation.
Climate shocks, including floods and droughts, have further destroyed water infrastructure, depleting groundwater sources and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.
Contaminated water poses life-threatening risks, leading to infections such as cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid.
The lack of sanitation facilities also disrupts education, especially for girls who face additional challenges during menstruation.
Additionally, women and girls are disproportionately affected as they bear the responsibility of fetching water for their households.
To address the crisis, UNICEF is working with governments, civil society, and communities to improve access to clean water and sanitation.
Marking World Water Day, the organization reaffirmed its commitment to supporting children in humanitarian settings and called for urgent action, including:
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Increased funding to strengthen water and sanitation systems and ensure access to clean water during crises.
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High-level political commitments to improve access to safe water and sanitation for vulnerable communities.
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Greater investment in climate adaptation to enhance the resilience of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure.
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Strengthening emergency response capacity in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector.
“Investing in climate-resilient WASH infrastructure is crucial for child well-being and offers significant cost savings, especially in humanitarian crises,” added Kadilli.
“Thanks to our partners, we have built sustainable systems that reduced water supply costs by over 90 per cent. But these investments must continue, or we risk losing hard-won progress for an entire generation of children. UNICEF is determined to stay and deliver, but we cannot do it alone. We need the continued commitment of governments, the private sector, and individuals who believe that every child deserves a future.”
