December 8, 2025
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is confronting its worst cholera outbreak in a quarter of a century, with nearly 2,000 deaths recorded since January, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The agency said the escalating emergency has taken a devastating toll on children, who account for thousands of infections and hundreds of deaths.
UNICEF revealed one of the most tragic cases in Kinshasa, where a powerful wave of cholera swept through an orphanage and killed 16 out of 62 children within days. UNICEF spokesperson John Agbor condemned the situation, stating, “Congolese children should not be so gravely affected by what is a wholly preventable disease.”
Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal infection that spreads rapidly when sewage systems fail and drinking water is contaminated. African health authorities had already sounded the alarm in November about rising cases across the continent, noting sharp increases in Angola, Burundi and several other countries-amounting to a 30 per cent rise compared to 2024.
UNICEF said that conflict, displacement and lack of access to clean water have worsened the crisis in Congo. The agency emphasized that more funding is urgently needed to strengthen water, sanitation and health services that are critical for controlling cholera transmission.
Since January, Congolese authorities have documented 64,427 cholera cases and 1,888 deaths, including 14,818 infections and 340 deaths among children. Seventeen out of the country’s 26 provinces are currently affected, underscoring the scale of the emergency.
According to UNICEF, only 43 per cent of people in Congo have access to basic drinking water – the lowest rate in Africa – while just 15 per cent have access to basic sanitation. The government has developed a national cholera elimination plan with a projected budget of $192 million, but the initiative remains drastically underfunded.
UNICEF is appealing for about six million dollars in 2026 to sustain rapid response operations, expand treatment, and support vulnerable communities. “Without additional funds and coordinated action, many more lives could be lost,” Agbor warned.
The ongoing cholera outbreak highlights the severe consequences of inadequate water infrastructure and the urgent need for stronger public health interventions to prevent future crises.
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