Africa CDC delivers lifesaving cholera vaccines to Angola as outbreak claims hundreds

ANGOLA – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has ramped up its support to Angola amid a deadly cholera outbreak that has already claimed 421 lives since January 2025.

In March, Africa CDC handed over 2,000 oral cholera vaccine doses in Luanda to protect frontline healthcare workers—a move hailed as critical by Angola’s Minister of Health, Dr. Silvia Lutucuta.

Representing Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo said the vaccines are part of broader emergency efforts to curb the spread of cholera and other infectious diseases like Mpox.

Since the first confirmed case in Cacuaco, Luanda Province, on January 7, Africa CDC has deployed 10 experts to assist in surveillance, lab diagnostics, case management, and environmental monitoring.

As of March 8, Angola had recorded 11,307 cases across 17 of its 21 provinces, with a case fatality rate of 3.6%.

The epicentres—Luanda, Bengo, Cuanza Norte, and Icolo e Bengo—account for nearly 98% of the total cases.

Bengo Province has the highest attack rate, with 31.6 cases per 10,000 people, largely driven by limited access to clean water and sanitation.

In response, the Angolan government, led by President João Lourenço, activated a US $6.5 million multi-sectoral national response plan.

Key pillars include surveillance, WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), IPC (infection prevention and control), and risk communication.

Cholera treatment centers and oral rehydration points have been set up, and the government is providing potable water to affected communities.

From January 28 to February 8, the country received 948,500 doses of the Euvichol vaccine and launched a successful campaign, vaccinating over 925,000 people in Luanda, Bengo, and Icolo e Bengo, achieving 86% coverage.

Africa CDC’s on-ground team continues to work closely with Angola’s Ministry of Health, conducting technical support visits, strengthening case referral systems, and providing training on surveillance and infection control.

While Angola’s swift response and Africa CDC’s backing have helped curb the spread, the crisis is far from over.

Daily, the country sees around 120 new cases and five deaths. Africa CDC is urging enhanced community engagement and faster access to quality care to bring the outbreak under control.

“These collective efforts are vital to lowering the high case fatality rate and improving early treatment outcomes,” said Batsirai Mbodza, Africa CDC’s Mpox Incident Manager in Angola.