Country: Angola Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. Description of the EventDate of event 07-01-2025What happened, where and when? Angola experienced a Cholera Outbreak since 7th January 2025, which remained active until October 2025 , significantly affecting several regions of the country. By October 2025, a total of 27,728 Cholera cases were reported nationwide, with 776 deaths recorded. Of these fatalities, 341 (44%) occurred outside health facilities, while 435 (56%) occurred within health facilities, affecting individuals aged between 2 and 85 years. The high proportion of community (extra-hospital) deaths highlighted persistent challenges related to timely access to healthcare services, early recognition of symptoms, and appropriate health-seeking behaviour among affected populations. The outbreak had its greatest impact in the provinces of Luanda, Bengo, Benguela, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Uíge and Zaire, where limited access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation, poor hygiene practices and high levels of vulnerability created conditions conducive to rapid disease transmission. These risk factors were further exacerbated by the rainy season, which intensified environmental contamination and increased exposure to waterborne diseases. Bairro Paraíso, Municipality of Cacuaco, Luanda Province, registered 25 suspected cases of Cholera on 7th January 2025, of which 5 died. BY 8th January 2025, more than 30 suspected cases were recorded. On 8th January 2025, the Ministry of Health held a meeting to launch the 2025 National Response Plan to Control Cholera, requesting partners, including Angola Red Cross, to support with the planned response. By 28th June 2025, cases had increased to 27,008, with 759 deaths and a Case Fatality Rate of 2.8%. The situation improved, with a reduction of 47% in cases reported in the last week of June 2025 only in 10 provinces (out of 18 that reported cases at some point of the outbreak). The start of year 2025 was characterised with the rainy season in Angola, with documented flooding across numerous provinces of the country. Combined with heavy rainfall, poor sanitation and limited access to clean water, there was an increase of risk in Cholera outbreaks and other waterborne diseases, especially in children. From the start of the year, multiple risk alerts for imminent flooding were issued on the Disaster Alert Platform across various provinces, including Luanda and those at higher risk of diseases outbreak. Flooding risk according to IFRC Risk Watch, remained through May 2025 for Angola. Reports from the Provincial Government indicated multiple impacts of floods including lives and livelihoods lost or damaged, as well as houses and public infrastructure across various provinces. While these provincial reports did not have disaggregated data by date of flooding event, but covered seasons across years, they still showed impacts of the floods. On 7th May 2025, Angola Red Cross submitted a qualitative assessment carried out by the National Society (NS) with support from this DREF operation on the vulnerabilities and risks of people affected by floods and Cholera across 6 provinces. The assessment report was accompanied by official government data (where available and with various time periods). The qualitative assessment from the NS indicated that due to heavy downpours, there were significant loss of livelihoods in communities, and an increased risk of disease outbreaks. The most reported needs were those of reinforced shelter as homes were built with weak materials, household items such as Mosquito nets, health and hygiene items such as soap and clean water, and food (given loss of agricultural inputs and ongoing food insecurity across Angola). Data from the Government indicated that there were deaths and injuries and thousands of houses damaged or destroyed. However, the impacts were not linked to one specific event, but to entire seasons of flooding. While the impacts of the floods could not be linked to a single flooding event, the 7th May 2025 Report from the NS, was the official request for support for the impact of the floods and continued Cholera Response because floods worsened the Cholera Outbreak. By end of June 2025, most of flooded areas had dried, while households returned to their settlements, needs were still high due to the loss and the impact of floods. In response to the flood emergency, the Angola Red Cross, with support from the IFRC, conducted a rapid market assessment in 3 most affected provinces most by the combined impacts of heavy rainfall, flooding and Cholera transmission. Based on the findings, targeting criteria were established, beneficiaries were identified, and cash assistance was distributed to eligible households in a timely, dignified and flexible manner, while simultaneously supporting local markets. This complemented the ongoing WASH and Health activities, as key interventions for under both Cholera and flood responses. The primary funding for the Angola Red Cross Cholera Response was provided by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) through the DREF, designed as an integrated and multisectoral intervention. The response was structured around the core pillars of Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Community Engagement and Accountability / Risk Communication (CEA/RCCE), Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI), and Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (PMER), ensuring a coordinated, community centered and standards based humanitarian approach. Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) achievements under this operation were significantly enhanced through strong complementarity with ongoing partner initiatives. In Cuanza Norte, a UNICEF-supported project contributed to critical WASH interventions, including water chlorination, soap distribution, and hygiene awareness campaigns. In parallel, a complementary donation from the French Red Cross reinforced these efforts by enabling the procurement and distribution of additional Aqua tabs, thereby expanding household level water treatment coverage. A total of 17,060 people received Aquatabs through the French Red Cross support. Together, these complementary interventions strengthened the overall effectiveness, reach, and sustainability of the WASH response, ensuring more comprehensive and well coordinated support to vulnerable populations.