To curb a persistent cholera outbreak active since August 2025, the Ministry of Health in Zambia received essential water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies from UNICEF on March 19, 2026, aimed at bolstering frontline defenses and accelerating treatment setup in 23 high-risk districts.
When public health emergencies accelerate across multiple districts, the speed of logistical support often determines whether an outbreak remains contained or spirals into a wider crisis. While communities braced for prolonged shortages, coordinated international and domestic efforts moved to supply critical resources directly to the front lines where they are needed most.
Emergency WASH Consignments Delivered to Zambia’s Disaster Management Unit
Families living across 23 districts in Zambia have faced heightened infection risks as health authorities battle a persistent cholera outbreak straining community services and health facilities since August 2025. Access to safe water, rapid treatment, and functional Oral Rehydration Points remain urgent needs—particularly for children, who are the most vulnerable in fast moving outbreaks. To counteract these pressures, UNICEF handed over a consignment of emergency water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies valued at ZMW 1.1 million to the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) on March 19, 2026.
The newly transferred aid includes cholera treatment tents, chlorine test kits, liquid chlorine, soap, toilet plates, and buckets for Oral Rehydration Points. These provisions will support districts experiencing the highest caseloads and help reduce transmission risk at both community and facility levels.
On Wednesday, February 4, Caritas Zambia, with support from Save the Children International, donated assorted Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) items to the Ministry of Health in Lusaka, in response to the ongoing cholera outbreak. Speaking during the handover, Caritas Zambia Programs Officer Eugine Ng’andu said the support was provided under the Anticipatory Action Project, which is supported by Save the Children International. Mr. Ng’andu disclosed that the donated items include 4,400 bottles of chlorine, 3,300 sachets of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS), 3,000 bars of soap, 300 bottles of liquid soap, and 40 containers of disinfectant. He added that the items will be distributed to various communities, including Chainda, as part of efforts to prevent and control the spread of cholera.
Community Sensitisation and Regional Mitigation Strategies
Beyond material aid, public health messaging and grassroots education form the bedrock of prevention strategies across affected regions. The Ministry of Health (MoH) has trained community members with skills to prevent, detect and respond to cholera outbreaks. The sensitisation, held under the theme Cholera Training for Community Members – MoH Initiatives,
brought together Queen mothers, market queens and organisers and community leaders including assembly members.
Speaking at the programmes, Mrs Evelyn Dowuona, Regional Quality and Safety Manager and Infection Prevention and Control Coordinator, described cholera as a severe diarrhoeal disease spread through contaminated food, water or surfaces. She said symptoms developed between 12 hours and five days after infection and included excessive watery diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, excessive thirst, weakness and rapid loss of body fluids. Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal disease that can be fatal within hours if not treated. Quick access to treatment is therefore crucial. Researchers estimate that there are 1.3 to 4 million cases and 21 000 to 143 000 deaths from cholera worldwide each year, with cases surging since 2021. Over 40 countries reported cases last year, and WHO estimates that 1 billion people are directly at risk. Cholera remains a global public health threat closely linked to inequality and inadequate social and economic development. Access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene are essential to prevent cholera and other waterborne diseases.
Targeted Medical Deployments Across International Hotspots
Global health partners are simultaneously managing overlapping health crises. Over the past week, Direct Relief has delivered 420 shipments of requested medical aid to 38 U.S. states and territories and 20 countries worldwide. The shipments contained 7 million defined daily doses of medication. Medications and supplies shipped this week included treatments for rare diseases, cystic fibrosis medications, chemotherapy, nutritional supplements and prenatal vitamins. Monitoring the DRC Ebola Outbreak: As the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda reaches more than 1,035 deaths across roughly 2,557 confirmed cases, Direct Relief is actively responding and remains in close contact with frontline partners. This includes coordination with regional and international partners such as Africa CDC and the International Organization for Migration, helping ensure Direct Relief is positioned to respond quickly.
Key accomplishments in the DRC include pioneering electronic integrated disease surveillance and response (IDSR) using the DHIS2 platform in six provinces, allowing real-time surveillance reporting with integrated laboratory results, to improve the 7-1-7 model for outbreak responses in the DRC. Mentored 16 laboratories towards ISO 15189 accreditation, including two that became DRC’s first internationally accredited clinical laboratories in 2025. Established diagnostic capacities for HIV, monkeypox, and viral hemorrhagic fevers (e.g., Marburg Virus Disease and Ebola), and supported installation of a lab information system in 10 laboratories to streamline operations. Supported the training of 925 disease detectives through the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), trained 120 MOH staff in emergency management, and educated over 3,800 healthcare providers in malaria diagnosis and treatment.
