Health crises in Namibia and Mozambique: Malaria and cholera outbreaks reported

Namibia is facing a significant malaria resurgence, with the Ministry of Health and Social Services reporting 122,612 confirmed cases and 122 deaths since the beginning of the year. Minister of Health Dr Esperance Luvindao stated that 81% of these cases were transmitted locally. The disease remains endemic in ten of the country's fourteen regions. In response, the government has launched a 2026 Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) campaign to improve vector control, which a recent review by the World Health Organization and other partners identified as a critical area for improvement.

In Mozambique, a cholera epidemic has resulted in over 9,700 infections and 91 deaths within a year. The most affected areas include Nampula province, which recorded 3,986 cases and 39 deaths, followed by Tete and Cabo Delgado. While daily cases have recently declined following the end of the rainy season, the United Nations is implementing an anticipatory action framework to provide funding for rapid interventions to prevent future escalations.