The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has linked the continent’s worst cholera outbreak in three years to climate change, stating that adverse weather conditions are elevating the risk of the disease at a faster rate than the global average.
The current surge in cholera cases is impacting more than a dozen countries in the region, causing hundreds of deaths and stretching already fragile health systems.
Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, emphasized that “Cholera in Africa is a climate change issue,” pointing to floods in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other parts of southern Africa as contributors to the crisis.
Why it matters
- The adverse weather conditions limit access to safe water and sanitation, disrupt communities, and strain healthcare resources.
- Despite Africa being the region least responsible for climate change, it faces some of the harshest consequences due to changing weather patterns.
- Cholera outbreaks, a waterborne disease-causing severe dehydration, have become more challenging to manage in communities with low pre-existing immunity due to low vaccination rates and poor overall health.
- The shortage of cholera vaccines exacerbates the situation, hindering efforts to contain bacterial disease outbreaks.
- Africa CDC estimates that the continent needs as many as 80 million doses, while only 15 to 18 million doses are globally available.
- Kaseya highlighted the vaccine procurement challenges faced by Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, urging international efforts, including those by Gavi, to secure additional doses.
What you should know
- Over 42,000 cases of cholera infection have been reported from January 1, 2024 to date.
- Within the period, over 2000 lives have been lost.
- Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe are among the countries affected.
Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-31/climate-change-is-causing-africa-s-cholera-surge?srnd=premium-europe&sref=xTkgnLSf
