[     News listing ](/en/ressources/news "  News listing")

 16 Aug. 2019 



 

 

 

   ![](/sites/g/files/dvc3616/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/image/2019/09/Ethiopia_4_1_0.png.webp?h=bd907a81&itok=lkGtjA6o "Carte d'Ethiopie")   



The Ethiopian government has committed to developing an evidence-based multi-sectoral National Cholera Elimination Plan, in line with the Global Task Force on Cholera Control’s Global roadmap to 2030 strategy \[1,2\]. The plan was presented to stakeholders during a high-level advocacy meeting on 23 July 2019 [1].  
   
“The Ending Cholera: A Global roadmap to 2030” strategy, which was launched in October 2017, provides a concrete path to end cholera as a public health threat in up to 20 countries and reduce deaths by 90% by 2030. The strategy involves three axes: 1. Early detection and quick response to contain outbreaks at an early stage;
2. A multi-sectoral approach to prevent cholera in hotspots in endemic countries;
3. An effective mechanism of coordination for technical support, resource mobilization and partnership at the local and global level.

Cholera hotspots are defined geographical areas where outbreaks occur in a repeated and persistent manner. Hotspots play a key role in the spread of the disease, as outbreaks often amplify and spread from hotspots to other at-risk areas\[3\].  
   
Cholera deaths can be prevented by improving access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation and hygiene. However, in Ethiopia, approximately 30% of rural populations and 77% of urban populations have access to at least basic drinking water sources (i.e., drinking water from an improved source, provided collection time is not more than 30 minutes for a round trip, including queuing), according to 2015 estimates. The same report found that a mere 4% of rural populations and 18% of urban populations have access to at least basic sanitation (i.e., use of improved facilities that are not shared with other households). Approximately, 32% of rural populations in Ethiopia perform open defecation \[4\].  
   
In Ethiopia, at least 871 people have been affected by the disease this year as of July 3rd \[5\]. The move to commit to “The Ending Cholera Roadmap” objectives represents a crucial milestone in the combat against the disease, which remains a major health burden in Ethiopia as well as in neighboring countries \[6\].

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\[1\] [WHO (2019) *Ethiopia Health Cluster Bulletin #5*, \[online\]](https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/HC-bulletin_June-2019.pdf)  
\[2\] [​Ambelu, Ayele Addis (2019) ‘Ethiopia launch of Ending Cholera: A Global Roadmap to 2030’. *Satenaw news*. \[online\] (Accessed 9 August 2019)](https://www.satenaw.com/ethiopia-launch-of-ending-cholera-a-global-roadmap-to-2030/)  
​\[3\] Global Task Force on Cholera Control (2017) *Ending Cholera. A Global Roadmap to 2030*, World Health Organization (WHO).  
\[4\] WHO, JMP and UNICEF (2017) *JMP Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: 2017 Update and SDG Baselines.*  
\[5\] IFRC (2019) *Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) Ethiopia: Cholera outbreak response - 16 July 2019*,  
\[6\] World Health Organization (n.d.) ‘Cholera case and death numbers by country’. *The Weekly Epidemiological Record*. \[online\] Available from: https://www.who.int/wer/en/