Cholera outbreak in Kinshasa: DRC president calls for 'resolute' national mobilization
President Félix Tshisekedi called for a "lucid" and "resolute" national mobilization in the face of the outbreak of the cholera epidemic in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This call was made during the 50th Council of Ministers meeting he chaired this Friday, July 4, in the Congolese capital.
Cholera has been recorded in 25 of the 35 zones in Kinshasa.
"For the week of June 23-29, 2025 alone, four new health zones recorded cases of cholera, bringing the total number of affected zones to 25 out of the 35 in the capital, Kinshasa. Hospital and funeral capacities are under severe strain, and the threat of a widespread epidemic, particularly in disaster camps, is looming. Faced with this worrying situation, the President of the Republic has called for a clear-sighted and resolute national mobilization," declared Patrick Muyaya, Minister of Communication and Media and government spokesperson.
The epidemic is not only a health emergency, it is the symptom of a progression of accumulated vulnerabilities, notably with the recent floods which have seriously damaged sanitation infrastructure, contaminated drinking water sources and displaced thousands of people, exposing them to conditions of promiscuity and sanitation which favor the spread of cholera, Tshisekedi said.
Cholera: A significant global health concern
According to information relayed by MSF (Doctors Without Borders), there have already been 149 cases and 23 deaths recorded in Kinshasa since the start of this epidemic.