Kongo-Central prison moves to contain deadly cholera outbreak

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have announced emergency measures at Mbanza-Ngungu prison after a cholera outbreak reportedly left 11 inmates dead and 74 others infected in Kongo-Central province. Justice Minister Guillaume Ngefa said new admissions had been temporarily suspended as officials try to contain the outbreak inside the facility as cited by Actualite.cd.

According to the minister, the health emergency was declared on March 27, with the provisional toll recorded among roughly 800 detainees.

He said the government had moved to limit further transmission while protecting both prisoners and prison staff. Similar emergency restrictions were also used earlier this year during a cholera outbreak at Kinshasa’s Makala prison, where authorities likewise halted new admissions to curb infections.

Ngefa said coordination began immediately with the health ministry once the first cases appeared.

A cholera treatment centre was set up inside the prison, extra beds were deployed, severe cases were transferred to specialised facilities, and medical teams were assigned to provide treatment, vaccination and prevention measures, according to the official account.

The response also includes sanitation, disinfection and water-quality controls, steps that take on added urgency in Mbanza-Ngungu, where concerns over unsafe water consumption were raised earlier this month. The prison outbreak comes against the backdrop of a wider cholera crisis in DR Congo, which UNICEF said had become the country’s worst outbreak in 25 years by late 2025.

The government says it remains fully mobilised and has framed the measures as part of its duty to protect the health and dignity of people in detention while reinforcing prevention inside prison facilities.