Zambia has witnessed a significant surge in cholera cases, resulting in 700 fatalities since January 2024, as reported by the medical charity Doctors Without Borders.
Since the outbreak commenced in October 2023, the country has documented nearly 20,000 infections. Initially confined to the cities of Lusaka and Ndola, the two largest cities in Zambia, the disease has now spread to all provinces, posing a potential threat to the entire southern Africa region.
In addition to Zambia, neighboring countries such as Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Malawi have reported infections. Critics have accused President Hakainde Hichilema’s government of lacking a robust response strategy to counter the disease.
To address the situation, a major soccer stadium in the capital city has been repurposed into a treatment facility.
Responding to the crisis, the Ministry of Health initiated a vaccination campaign in January, targeting 1.5 million people in areas identified as high-risk for transmission.
Cholera, which is transmitted through contaminated food and water, has predominantly affected the capital city of Lusaka, with concerns about its potential to impact the broader population.
