The Ministry of Health in Angola, with support from World Health Organization (WHO), has trained more than 8000 community mobilizers to support the response and around 4450 community leaders in early detection, oral rehydration solution preparation and household water treatment
LUANDA, Angola, June 20, 2025/APO Group/ --
In the heart of Boa Vista, a neighbourhood in Angola’s capital, Luanda, 48-year-old mother of three Maria Teresa da Silva is joining other community members to spread awareness of the ongoing cholera outbreak. When the first cases were reported in her community in mid-January 2025, she joined a group of concerned women eager to contribute to the response.
With support from local authorities, they began educating neighbours, distributing hygiene products and promoting cholera prevention practices. “We live in a community,” she says. “We must find time and support each other to protect our health and save lives.”
Community involvement in this low-income urban neighbourhood has helped to curb the outbreak: no new cholera cases have been reported for four consecutive weeks, since 19 May.
“At first, many families didn’t seek health services. Lack of information was the biggest challenge,” says the municipal administrator of Ingombota, Mika Kaquesse. Local authorities organized 800 community awareness sessions, built water tanks, distributed hygiene products and implemented sanitation sensitization campaigns.
“We know that prevention is key in cholera control ‒ clean water, sanitation and information,” says Dr Genoveva Mafu, clinical coordinator at the Boa Vista cholera treatment centre. “It was frightening at first, but teamwork and partner support made all the difference.”
The Ministry of Health in Angola, with support from World Health Organization (WHO), has trained more than 8000 community mobilizers to support the response and around 4450 community leaders in early detection, oral rehydration solution preparation and household water treatment.
Health authorities have conducted sensitization campaigns with community and religious leaders, community listening sessions, and engaged with multiple sectors such as environment, fisheries, water and energy, youth and the military to ensure a coordinated and culturally appropriate response. This has resulted in more than 8 million people reached with messages on cholera prevention.
“Community-based activities have increased public trust in health services and strengthened local epidemiological surveillance,” says Mateus Mariano Miguel, president of the Boa Vista Residents Committee. “The community responded massively. We continue working, even without new cases, because we know prevention must never stop.”
Health authorities have also trained 1000 health workers and activated almost 140 surveillance teams conducting case management, active case finding, and infection prevention and control. Nationwide, 166 rapid response teams have been deployed and 180 cholera treatment centres have been established to manage and treat cases.
In just over five months, Angola has recorded over 26 000 cases and nearly 750 deaths. This marks the worst cholera outbreak in the country in almost two decades. Thanks to a multisectoral and multipronged approach, the past two weeks have shown encouraging trends. As of 14 June 2025, the number of new weekly cases has dropped to 826 – the lowest levels since March. Weekly deaths have decreased to the lowest levels since January and the weekly case fatality rate has declined to 1.5% from a high of 8.8% in January 2025.
“While the situation remains serious, these improvements demonstrate the impact of the ongoing response and provide hope that the outbreak can be brought under control soon. We must continue to reinforce collaboration because when communities are empowered and engaged, lives can be saved and dignity restored,” says Dr Indrajit Hazarika, WHO Representative in Angola.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.
They let down those who voted for them. Shame!
these so called councillors have taken right choices when they abandoned their so called post…
No problem the Councillors second in line from other parties will take their positions as dictated by Somaliland National Electoral commission.
Isse are so tribal. They prefer to follow order from their young so call Ougass living in Dire Dawa than to sit With their own gov or brother Gadabursi.Well they have to understand Somaliland is not Djibouti where their clan rule without really power sharing since their independence but there is peace Bcoz Dir brother Issaq and Gadabursi love peace too. Imagine just walanweyn and faqash live there too lol could not be more lucky koi.
This is a very bad advise for Isse community. What advantages will they get by quitting? They could make a big changes within the council itself instead of pulling out. I hope they will come to their sense and find a solution to this crisis, which if not solved will not be beneficial to anyone who lives in those two districts.
Is it not their given right to show their displeasure with the pretend Government or should they be silent and walk with their heads down.
hahahahahh Somaliland is by gone
who is from a minority clan namely the Gadabursi clan.kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk shame shame on you, this is democratic election isn't it they are missing the point , they should work with their brothers and their land if they are pure citizens but they shouldn't claim in a such way
It’s unfortunate that the Ciise community are not thinking right. By making the issue a Ciise issue, they are affectively spreading any problems that may arise from this to Jabuuti and Ethiopia. I think Jabouti and Ethiopia s should take firm action against the people in their jurisdiction and Somaliland should make it clear that this is a Somaliland issue and should be resolved through Somaliland. What create the chaos in the Horn is people who have no boundaries and making all the countries in the region prone to instability. People should be told to respect the laws of their respected countries.
Ciise leadership has failed miserably to abide by the results of the Nov 28 election. They failed to recognize and utilize the legal channels that are available to resolve election issues, either true NEC or Judiciary (including lower and upper courts). In addition, despite government initiatives to resolve their issues in traditional methods as well as government sponsored legal methods, they failed to move forward to come to an understanding. So far their action has been to use the blame game, manufacture unfounded allegations and to boycott every opportunity intended to reasonably defuse any election crisis. The work of the counselors and the community is at stand-still and is brought to a halt.
Time has come to stop this non-sense and move forward with the work of the local government and the people. The issues should not be tribalized not should it be used to sour the good relationship that exists between the local clans. There are plenty of legal actions that can be taken to address any legitimate grievances that exist, it is time they learn the law and move to resolve these issues by a democratic means.
This was a sham election and a disservice to the good people of Saylac and Lughaya. People were denied to vote in a manner absent of intimidation and fear of retaliation. People in this great state of Salal are no better off today than they were when the old regime of Somalia governed the country. They have every legitimate right to voice their displeasure of the status-quo and demand better governance, economic development and inalienable right to choose their own leaders – after all these are the core principles in a democracy to not only survive but thrive.