The European Union has allocated an additional €150,000 in emergency humanitarian aid to help Zambia combat a cholera outbreak that has claimed nine lives and infected 269 people over the past three months.
The EU said in a statement on Wednesday that the funding is expected to support the Zambia Red Cross Society in delivering clean water, healthcare, sanitation and hygiene initiatives.
“The intervention will also help people mitigate transmission risk through community engagement,” the bloc said.
Zambia’s latest cholera outbreak was first reported in Nakonde district in late December 2024 and has since spread to several regions, with Chililabombwe in Copperbelt province being the worst affected.
The outbreak is primarily impacting men, particularly cross-border truck drivers and traders, due to poor sanitation, overcrowding and unsafe food sources.
The EU emergency intervention, expected to run until August 2025, targets the hardest-hit provinces of Copperbelt and Muchinga.
The bloc’s contribution is part of its broader support to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Disaster Response Emergency Fund.
The Zambian government, in collaboration with the Red Cross and other partners, has launched a multi-pronged response focusing on prevention, case management and public awareness.
With ongoing rains increasing the risk of further spread, authorities warn that if the outbreak is not contained, it could overwhelm health facilities and escalate into a larger public health crisis, particularly given Zambia’s high cross-border mobility with Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
JN/APA