The European Commission has allocated €2.3 million in emergency humanitarian funding to four West and Central African countries to support efforts to contain the ongoing cholera epidemic.
The funding will go to Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Chad.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 61,000 cholera cases were reported in the African Region in the first 5 months of 2026.
Nigeria will get €1.5 million from the support.
The largest allocation will support Nigeria to:
- Increase the number of intervention teams
- Provide essential supplies such as cholera kits
- Support water, sanitation and hygiene, WASH interventions, including treatment of public water points and household water
- Intensify epidemiological surveillance in inaccessible areas
- Strengthen case management, risk communication and community sensitisation
Central African Republic – €500,000, which will be used to scale up case management and vaccination, as well as WASH interventions.
It will also strengthen risk communication and community engagement, surveillance and case detection, and support dignified and safe burials.
Chad – €200,000 will help break the chain of cholera transmission through improved access to water, sanitation, hygiene, and community support for surveillance and case management.
Cameroon – €100,000 will support outbreak containment and case management, including additional staff for humanitarian partners, essential medicines, additional cholera treatment units and oral rehydration points in the most affected villages.
The Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the funding is aimed at helping partners act quickly and protect communities most at risk.
"Cholera is preventable and treatable. Yet it still threatens lives when people lack something as basic as safe water and healthcare. At a time when humanitarian needs are growing and resources are shrinking, Europe is not looking away," Lahbib said.
Cholera is caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria. The infection spreads most commonly through contaminated water.
In severe cases, rapid loss of body fluids can lead to dehydration and shock.
The EU noted that cholera is not a common problem in Europe and the risk of spreading from imported cases is low.