A deadly cholera outbreak in Ethiopia’s Gambella region has claimed at least 31 lives and infected over 1,500 people in the past month, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported on Friday, March 14, 2025. The global medical charity warns of a “rapidly spreading” crisis, worsened by an influx of refugees fleeing violence in neighboring South Sudan, where thousands more are battling the same disease.
MSF, actively providing aid in western Ethiopia, stated, “Cholera is rapidly spreading across western Ethiopia, and in parallel, the outbreak in South Sudan is ongoing, endangering thousands of lives.” The situation in Gambella has deteriorated with the arrival of displaced South Sudanese, escaping clashes in the Upper Nile region, where Akobo County alone reported 1,300 cases in four weeks. Chronic instability and poverty in South Sudan, which declared a cholera epidemic in October 2023, have fueled the outbreak, stripping communities of healthcare, clean water, and sanitation.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous nation with 120 million people, faces cholera outbreaks in multiple regions, including the hard-hit Amhara area. The bacterial infection, spread through contaminated food and water, thrives amid such crises. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes a global surge, with 4,000 cholera deaths in 2023—a 71% rise from 2022—mostly in Africa.
MSF’s response includes delivering clean water and raising disease awareness in Ethiopia, alongside emergency care in South Sudan. The charity urges immediate action: bolstered health facilities, safe water access, and a vaccination campaign to halt the spread. Yet, Ethiopia’s challenges mount as tensions with Eritrea simmer, with potential conflict in the Tigray region threatening to deepen the humanitarian strain.
For Pakistan, where health and global crises resonate, this outbreak underscores the need for vigilance. Today Pakistan News will keep readers informed—share your thoughts at todaypakinews@gmail.com as this crisis unfolds.
