The Forgotten Pandemic: Why Cholera Doesn’t Get the Attention It Deserves.
Cholera, one of the deadliest infectious diseases in history, rarely makes headlines in the modern world—despite still claiming thousands of lives each year.
While diseases like COVID-19 or the flu dominate public awareness, cholera remains a largely forgotten pandemic, even though it continues to ravage communities in parts of the world with limited healthcare access.
Cholera is primarily confined to low-income regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and parts of the Caribbean.
With its prevalence in areas where sanitation and clean water are scarce, the disease disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. Despite the availability of effective treatments and prevention measures like vaccines.
Unlike more prominent outbreaks, cholera rarely makes international news unless it reaches a crisis level. Media outlets often focus on diseases with more immediate global impacts, such as the latest flu strain or COVID-19.
Cholera’s slow burn—its spread typically happens in regions already dealing with humanitarian crises—often goes unnoticed by the public, leading to a lack of awareness about the urgency of improving water sanitation and healthcare access in at-risk regions.
What makes cholera particularly tragic is that it is largely preventable. With improved sanitation, access to clean drinking water, and the availability of oral rehydration therapy, cholera’s devastating effects can be minimized.
The world’s attention often shifts to other, more "newsworthy" diseases, leaving cholera behind despite its potential for eradication.