Since early 2025, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been grappling with a severe surge in cholera outbreaks, with over 48,000 cases and more than 1,700 deaths recorded in just eight months—far surpassing the figures for 2024. Nineteen of the country's 26 provinces have been affected, including non-endemic regions, with outbreaks fueled by water scarcity, natural disasters, conflict, and displacement. Despite being preventable, cholera continues to spread due to insufficient resources, limited vaccine availability, and weakened response mechanisms caused by funding cuts, logistical challenges, and poor access to safe drinking water. The situation is expected to worsen with the upcoming rainy season, heightening the urgency for action.



In this difficult context, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have been working tirelessly across the country to combat the outbreaks, providing critical medical care and support to national health authorities in provinces such as North and South Kivu, Maniema, and Kinshasa. However, their efforts are hampered by logistical hurdles, security risks, and limited access to affected populations. For example, in Baraka, South Kivu, transporting medical supplies takes several days due to infrastructural and security challenges. Despite cholera being a neglected and stigmatized disease, overshadowed by other epidemics like Ebola, MSF continues to highlight its devastating impact on the DRC and neighboring countries, emphasizing the need for greater attention, resources, and coordinated action to curb its spread.