Rapid response to efficiently counter cholera: lessons from a 45-days intervention in Eastern DRC

Since the 1970s, the Democratic Republic of Congo faces recurrent cholera outbreaks and frequent sporadic cases. Numerous zones in the eastern provinces are hotspots and endemic pockets that cause epidemics that can even spread to cities and villages hundreds of kilometres away. In 2017, the Democratic Republic of Congo experienced its biggest cholera epidemic since 1994. SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL intervened in two health zones in North Kivu, two highly underfunded and forgotten affected areas. Thanks to the rapid reactivity and flexibility of the response, the epidemic curve of cholera cases was rapidly controlled. Several lessons from this intervention are worth highlighting and sharing.