Angola is ramping up efforts to improve access to safe drinking water and tackle a cholera outbreak that has affected over 11,500 people and claimed nearly 440 lives since early January 2025. In response, health authorities, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, is working to identify contaminated water sources and provide communities with treated water to curb the disease’s spread, informs the WHO.
In regions like Luanda and Icolo e Bengo, which together account for most of the country’s cholera cases, local leaders are already seeing results. “The water technicians visited the water source in our community and educated us about the importance of treated water and since then, our tanks have been supplied with safe water. Now, our children are better protected from the threat of cholera,” says Manuel Domingos, community leader in Mussenga.
A key initiative launched in January and February saw 28 public health officials from 15 municipalities trained in mapping water sources. Using georeferencing tools, they have now mapped nearly 320 water points across Angola. This data-driven approach has allowed authorities to pinpoint contamination sites and dispatch teams trained in water treatment and community education.
“Thanks to this training, we were able to identify the points of contamination, pinpoint the exact problem areas and, in coordination with the Ministry of Energy and Water and the National Institute for Health Research, ensure that families have access to drinking water,” says Marinela Moniz, a technical officer in Luanda.
Dr Indrajit Hazarika, WHO representative in Angola, adds, “Thanks to multisectoral leadership and the support of partners, we are positive that it will be possible to control contamination and end cholera soon in Angola.”
With regular community outreach, training, and continued mapping, Angola is aiming not only to end the current outbreak but to build long-term resilience against waterborne diseases.
