Twin health crises: Marburg and cholera challenge Africa’s health system

Africa is being faced with a rare and worrying convergence. Ethiopia has confirmed its first-ever outbreak of the Marburg virus, what many have described as a deadly relative of Ebola, while across the continent, cholera is surging at its fastest pace in 25 years.

Both health crises are serious on their own, but together they reveal a deeper challenge: African health systems are under immense pressure.

In rural parts of Ethiopia,…