The Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced its worst cholera outbreak in 25 years, recording 64,427 cases and 1,888 deaths since the start of the year, including 14,818 child cases and 340 child deaths, reports UNICEF.

The outbreak has disrupted children’s education, exposing them to illness and forcing them to witness the suffering and loss of family members. Seventeen of the country’s 26 provinces, including Kinshasa, were affected, driven by limited access to clean water and sanitation, persistent conflict, flooding, displacement, and rapid urbanisation.

Despite additional initiatives such as the "River Congo without cholera" campaign, the government’s $192 million Multisectoral Cholera Elimination Plan remains severely underfunded. More than 13.5 million people received prevention information from UNICEF by supporting rapid response teams, treatment centers, and WASH improvements. The agency warned that without urgent funding, including $6 million needed by 2026, many more lives could be lost.