Ethiopia launches mass cholera vaccination in Gambella amid rising death toll
The deteriorating health situation has been exacerbated by escalating political tension in South Sudan, which has driven thousands of displaced people—many in need of medical care—across the border into Ethiopia.
As cholera cases continue to rise in Ethiopia’s Gambella region, claiming more lives, the government has launched a weeklong vaccination campaign targeting one million people. Health officials say the campaign, which began over the weekend, will reach all zones of the region, including refugee shelters housing those displaced by ongoing violence in South Sudan.
At the official launch, Minister of Health Dr. Mekdes Daba emphasized ongoing efforts to strengthen the health system’s ability to respond swiftly to outbreaks and emergencies. “A comprehensive national strategy is in place to prevent and control both communicable and non-communicable diseases,” she stated.
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Dr. Mesay Hailu, Director General of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, also highlighted the impact of “effective prevention and surveillance measures” in containing cholera outbreaks in affected areas. “With the onset of the rainy season, coordinated prevention, surveillance, and response efforts are being intensified in collaboration with regional governments, local partners, and stakeholders to mitigate the risk of waterborne diseases,” he added.
The weeklong vaccination campaign comes as cholera cases surge in Gambella, with new infections and fatalities increasing in recent weeks.
According to the United Nations (UN), the cholera outbreak has significantly impacted the region. As of March 8, 2025, 1,320 cases and 29 deaths have been reported since early February, with a case fatality rate of 2.2%.
Initially identified in four districts of the Nuer Zone, the outbreak has since spread, with Wantawo and Akobo being the most affected areas. Cholera cases have also been confirmed in four refugee camps.
The deteriorating health situation has been exacerbated by escalating political tension in South Sudan, which has driven thousands of displaced people—many in need of medical care—across the border into Ethiopia.
In a statement issued on March 31, 2025, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned of a rapidly unfolding humanitarian crisis on both sides of the South Sudan- Ethiopia border, fueled by violence, displacement, and the cholera outbreak.
“The situation is rapidly deteriorating as thousands fleeing violence in South Sudan cross the border to seek safety,” MSF stated. “In Wanthoa Woreda, a new encampment in Burbeiye, Ethiopia, has emerged almost overnight, with over 6,500 new arrivals reported by local administrators—many of them women, children, and the elderly, arriving after days of travel.”
Previously, the UN reported that cholera in the Gambella region had spread from neighboring South Sudan, where more than 36,180 cases and 600 deaths have been recorded since the outbreak began in October 2024. Approximately 10,000 displaced people have crossed into Ethiopia since early March 2025.
This crisis arises at a time when both Ethiopia and South Sudan are experiencing significant reductions in donor funding, including recent cuts from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“While the organization does not accept funding from the US Government, the cuts in humanitarian and health assistance will severely reduce the capacity of other humanitarian agencies to respond to such crises,” MSF cautioned.
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