In a gesture of solidarity and commitment to protecting the population in the face of the cholera emergency, Banco de Fomento Angola (BFA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) today formalised a strategic partnership to support the national response to the outbreak affecting thousands of families in Angola.

The signing ceremony for the financing agreement, which took place in Luanda, highlighted BFA’s generous contribution of 30 million kwanzas to purchase essential medical supplies, including rehydration solutions, specialised beds, sprayers, tents, and safety boxes.

With technical support from WHO, these supplies will be delivered to the Ministry of Health to strengthen treatment centres and support health professionals in the regions most affected by the outbreak.

“We deeply appreciate this generous contribution from BFA, which will enable access to treatment for those most in need and help save lives. This is a commendable example of how the private sector can play a vital role in promoting health and well-being,” said Dr Indrajit Hazarika, WHO Representative in Angola.

Since January 2025, Angola has been facing its worst cholera outbreak in two decades, with around 29,000 cases and more than 800 deaths recorded in 18 of the 21 provinces. The current fatality rate of 2.8% exceeds the emergency threshold set by the WHO, reflecting persistent challenges such as delayed access to healthcare, limitations in epidemiological surveillance, and poor sanitation infrastructure.

Despite the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Health, with the support of WHO and other partners, including vaccination campaigns that have already reached around three million people, as well as the establishment of treatment centres and oral rehydration points, the risk of cholera transmission remains high. This risk is exacerbated by the arrival of the rainy season, which adds to the persistent limited access to drinking water and poor hygiene and sanitation conditions.

This scenario requires more than just one-off solutions. Continuous and strategic investment is needed to strengthen the health system, focusing on expanding primary and emergency health care coverage, improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, providing technical training for health professionals at all levels, and strengthening epidemiological surveillance and risk communication.

For WHO, every donation is a bridge between emergency and resilience. Each partnership represents an opportunity to build a more robust, equitable health system that can better protect all Angolans, today and in the future.