Mitigating the increasing threat of cholera in Yemen and other conflict-affected countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Cholera, an age-old disease driven by poverty, poor sanitation and insufficient access to clean water, remains a major public health concern in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). In January 2023, WHO declared cholera a Grade 3 global public health emergency, requiring organization-wide support and response. In 2024, 8 EMR countries reported 597 026 cholera cases and 2403 deaths, including acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) cases reported in Afghanistan, contributing to almost 74% of the global cholera burden.