EU allocates 150,000 euros for Zambia's cholera response

LUSAKA - The European Union (EU) has allocated 150,000 euros to help Zambia's response to the cholera outbreak, a press statement released on Tuesday said.

The funding will bolster the efforts of the Zambia Red Cross Society in providing much-needed relief, including clean water, healthcare, sanitation and hygiene, as well as help people mitigate transmission risk through community engagement.

According to the statement, the emergency response project will run for five months until the end of August 2025 and is expected to reach the affected people in the hardest-hit provinces of Copperbelt and Muchinga.

The funding, the statement said, is part of the EU's overall contribution to the disaster response emergency fund of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Since the outbreak of the water-borne disease in December last year, cumulative cholera cases in the country have risen to 351, with nine deaths.

The Zambian government, working with other partners, is implementing a multi-faceted response strategy focused on cholera prevention, effective case management, and community engagement, the statement said.