Dr Eun Seok Kim says NTD elimination requires more than drugs. Lasting change comes from safer environments, engaged communities, and resilient health systems.

World Vision Mali’s 2025 Annual Report highlights key achievements improving children’s lives through education, WASH, nutrition and humanitarian assistance.

Challenges with proper sanitation and hygiene in an open accommodation center surface as survivors find shelter running from floods in Mozambique.

Accommodation centres expose flood survivors to poor sanitation, raising serious concerns about disease outbreaks and health risks among already vulnerable families.

This interview with Dr. Liliane Shacko, Acting Chief Medical Officer of the Manika Health Zone in Kolwezi, discusses the cholera outbreak that began in December 2025 and the response efforts underway to contain it. She explains how the outbreak started in the Mutoshi Health Area, outlines the current situation with more than 200 cases recorded, and highlights the measures taken by health authorities and partners, including the establishment of treatment centres, water chlorination points and community awareness campaigns. Dr. Shacko also addresses ongoing challenges such as high population mobility and the continued arrival of cases from neighbouring health zones. She emphasizes the critical role of partners like World Vision in supporting prevention and community engagement, while urging residents to follow hygiene measures and seek immediate medical care if symptoms appear.

WVS’s child well-being priorities are closely aligned with Pillar 3: Social Development of the Somalia National Transformation Plan (NTP) and contribute directly to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Efforts to improve child nutrition and reduce wasting and stunting advance SDG 2: Zero Hunger and respond to the NTP priority of improving access to and quality of nutrition and food security services. Expanding equitable, quality maternal and child healthcare supports SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, addressing the NTP’s goal of strengthening accessible healthcare systems. Finally, strengthening child protection systems and family support contributes to SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, reinforcing the NTP commitment to protect children and promote social cohesion.

World Vision Ghana, with the Ministry of Health, convened the first meeting to advance a national fund to end neglected tropical diseases through partnerships.

A cholera outbreak that began in December 2025 in the Manika Health Zone of Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo, has prompted a coordinated response from health authorities, community health workers, and humanitarian partners. With support from World Vision, essential medical supplies, water treatment materials, and sanitation equipment were provided to strengthen prevention, treatment, and community awareness efforts. Community health workers have played a central role in educating families about hygiene practices, water chlorination, and early referral of suspected cases. Through these combined efforts, thousands of residents in high-risk neighbourhoods have received clean water and cholera prevention messages. While the response is helping reduce transmission risks, health authorities warn that continued vigilance and community mobilisation remain essential due to ongoing population movement and the risk of the outbreak spreading to neighbouring areas.

Somalia remains one of the most protracted and complex humanitarian contexts globally, with over three decades of armed conflict, political fragility, and recurrent climate shocks degrading livelihoods and resilience. Cycles of insecurity, drought, and flooding—now intensified by climate change—continue to devastate communities, with children disproportionately affected (FSNAU & FEWS NET, 2025; OCHA, 2025). As of early 2025, internal displacement has surged to an estimated 3.9 million people, driven by conflict, food insecurity, and environmental disasters (IOM, 2025), placing immense strain on essential services and deepening urban fragility.