Prevention challenges and control efforts of the 2025 cholera surge in Africa

Cholera remains one of the most preventable infectious diseases yet continues to disproportionately affect the African continent. This study presents a descriptive policy analysis of the 2025 cholera surge across Africa and examines the Continental Cholera Preparedness and Response Plan for Africa 1.0. In 2025, outbreaks were reported in twenty-three African Union member states, driven by fragile health systems, climate variability, population displacement, and inadequate access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. Reported case counts, largely based on suspected cases due to limited laboratory confirmation capacity, indicate a substantial increase compared to recent years, although long-term trends show fluctuating but persistent vulnerability to outbreaks. This analysis highlights implementation gaps, including financing constraints, vaccine shortages, and limited transparency in resource allocation. This study proposes evidence-informed policy recommendations to support the Joint Plan target of reducing cholera deaths by 90%, eliminating cholera in at least 20 countries, and maintaining case fatality rates below 1% by 2030.