European Union commits €150,000 to combat Cholera outbreak in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. In response to the recent cholera epidemic in Tanzania, the European Union has pledged €150,000 (about Sh414 million) in humanitarian aid funding.

The support aims to assist the country in containing the outbreak, which poses a significant risk to over 4 million people.

Cholera outbreaks have affected 13 regions since early January 2024, with official reports indicating more than 1,500 reported cases and 34 fatalities.

“The funding will bolster the efforts of the Tanzanian Red Cross Society (TRCS) in providing much-needed relief, including clean water, healthcare, sanitation, and hygiene,” the EU said in a statement on Monday, March 4, 2024.

The project will run for three months, until the end of May 2024, and is expected to reach 178,000 people in the hardest hit areas of Kagera, Mwanza, and Shinyanga regions.

The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Tanzania is currently facing its most severe cholera outbreak in almost forty years. The widespread epidemic is exacerbated by heavy rainfall due to the El Niño weather phenomenon, overwhelming wastewater systems, and other infrastructure, particularly in densely populated regions.

Without urgent action to repair infrastructure, improve water management, and promote changes in hygiene practices, Tanzania could face a prolonged epidemic, with the risk of the disease spreading to neighbouring countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi from major Tanzanian transportation hubs.