African leaders have unveiled a new emergency response plan to combat the alarming rise of cholera. The new plan, which was revealed on Tuesday, will be in effect from September 2025 to February 2026. This strategic model was developed in a joint effort by the Africa CDC and the World Health Organization.
The ambitious goal is to reduce cholera deaths by 90 percent and eradicate the disease in 20 countries by 2030. The plan was formally launched at a conference in Zambia’s capital, Lusaka.
Zambia’s president, Hakainde Hichilema, who is the AU’s cholera champion, officially launched the plan. He stated that eradicating cholera is a moral imperative and a catalyst for economic growth.
The urgency is underscored by an alarming 213,586 cases and 4,507 deaths in 23 African countries in 2025 alone. A WHO regional director described the roadmap as a strategic and technical blueprint in direct response to a call for action.
He said the blueprint embodies the united determination of member states to eliminate cholera as a public health threat. The president stated that to succeed, Africa must act today for a better tomorrow.