With cholera cases escalating in Ethiopia’s Gambella area and fatalities increasing, authorities have initiated a seven-day immunization drive aimed at protecting one million individuals. The health ministry reports that this effort, starting over the past weekend, will cover every district within the region, extending assistance even to refugee camps where many from South Sudanese conflict zones seek refuge.
At the official launch Minister of Health Dr. Mekdes Daba highlighted the continuous endeavors to enhance the healthcare system’s capacity for promptly addressing disease outbreaks and emergency situations. She mentioned, “We have implemented an integrated nationwide plan aimed at preventing and managing both infectious and non-infectious ailments.”
Dr. Mesay Hailu, who serves as the Director General of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, emphasized the role of "robust preventive and monitoring strategies" in curbing cholera outbreaks across impacted regions. He further stated, "As we approach the rainy season, concerted prevention, surveillance, and response activities are being ramped up alongside regional administrations, local collaborators, and key participants to reduce the threat of water-related illnesses."
As cholera cases rise in Gambella, a week-long immunization drive has been launched amid growing concerns over rising infection rates and deaths in recent weeks.
According to the United Nations (UN) As of March 8, 2025, the cholera outbreak has considerably affected the area. A total of 1,320 cases and 29 fatalities had been documented since early February, resulting in a case fatality rate of 2.2%. The initial surge was observed in four districts within the Nuer Zone; however, the epidemic has expanded, particularly impacting Wantawo and Akobo the most. Additionally, cholera cases have been verified in four refugee camps as well.
The worsening health crisis in South Sudan has been compounded by rising political tensions, leading thousands of displaced individuals—most requiring medical attention—to flee across the border into Ethiopia.
In a statement On March 31, 2025,Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) alerted about an escalating humanitarian emergency along both sides of the South Sudan-Ethiopia border. This situation has been exacerbated by conflict, population displacement, and a spreading cholera epidemic.
MSF reported that the situation is quickly worsening as thousands escape violence in South Sudan and head to neighboring countries for protection. In the Wanthoa Woreda area of Burbeiye, Ethiopia, an impromptu camp sprang up virtually instantaneously, with local authorities noting more than 6,500 newcomers—predominantly women, children, and older individuals—who arrived exhausted from several days of journeying.
Earlier, the UN stated that cholera in the Gambella area had originated from South Sudan next door, where over 36,180 instances of the disease and 600 fatalities were documented after the epidemic started in October 2024. Around 10,000 refugees have moved into Ethiopia since early March 2025.
This crisis emerges as both Ethiopia and South Sudan face substantial decreases in donor support, including recent reductions from USAID.
"While the organization does not accept funding from the US government, the cuts in humanitarian and health assistance will severely reduce the capacity of other humanitarian agencies to respond to such crises," MSF cautioned.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
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