Burundi: Cholera risk intensifies

The recent escalation of violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has triggered significant cross-border displacement, with large numbers of Congolese refugees fleeing South Kivu into Burundi and other neighboring countries. This influx in Burundi, now exceeding 88,000 people, has rapidly strained the country’s already fragile systems (1,2).

The displacement camps in Burundi are now marked by severe overcrowding and a sharply deteriorating public health environment. Humanitarian actors report that basic services, such as clean water, sanitation, hygiene, food, and shelter, are critically insufficient. These vulnerabilities are amplifying the threat of cholera. Meanwhile, the risk is further intensified by weak disease surveillance and limited response capacity in displacement sites. These constraints severely hinder early detection, rapid response, and effective disease containment, further heightening the likelihood of uncontrolled cholera transmission (1,2).

Without urgent reinforcement and expanded support, Burundi faces a heightened risk of accelerating cholera transmission and broader epidemic spread. Strengthening cross-border coordination, bolstering community-based surveillance, and reinforcing health systems are essential to prevent further deterioration (1,2).