The World Health Organisation has warned of an outbreak of water-borne diseases in flood-affected areas across southern Africa.
About half of the people affected are in Mozambique, according to preliminary assessments by the World Health Organization (WHO). The floods have also affected parts of Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Urgent humanitarian needs include shelter, safe water and access to essential health services, the UN agency said.
Water-borne diseases, particularly acute watery diarrhoea and cholera, are serious threats in sites hosting people displaced by the deluge due to overcrowding, poor access to hygiene and sanitation facilities, according to WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Mohamed Janabi.
‘’Our immediate focus is preventing disease outbreaks, maintaining essential health services, saving lives and protecting the most vulnerable communities,” said Dr Janabi.
Intense rainfall and severe flooding since mid-December 2025 have affected around 1.3 million people in southern Africa, destroyed houses and critical infrastructure and disrupted access to health services.
