In brief
Cholera is ravaging Sudan as conflict hampers healthcare access, leading to hundreds of deaths and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The situation in Sudan is dire, with reports from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) indicating that the nation is "on the brink" of a health crisis exacerbated by a cholera outbreak. In just seven days, the country's Health Ministry documented 172 cholera-related fatalities, with the majority occurring in the Khartoum state. Local media highlighted that aerial attacks have disrupted electrical supply to water treatment plants, forcing civilians to resort to contaminated water sources. IRC's Sudan director, Eatizaz Yousif, noted that the ongoing civil war, which has persisted for nearly three years, is significantly contributing to the resurgence of cholera. The IRC further pointed out the alarming low coverage of cholera vaccinations and the increasing scarcity of essential medical supplies.Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reported thousands of suspected cholera cases in Khartoum since late last month. According to MSF's medical coordinator in Sudan, Slaymen Ammar, the turmoil has severely undermined basic healthcare infrastructure. He stated that access to medical care is limited or prohibitively expensive, prompting many healthcare professionals to flee the ongoing violence. The few operational health facilities are said to be overwhelmed, with MSF noting as many as 500 cholera cases registered in one day alone.Beyond Khartoum, additional cholera cases have emerged in both northern and southern regions of Sudan. While most individuals infected with cholera experience mild symptoms or none at all, the illness can be deadly if it leads to severe diarrhea, necessitating IV fluids and antibiotics for recovery, as noted by the World Health Organization. The ongoing conflict has claimed over 150,000 lives since its onset, igniting a brutal power struggle between Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This situation has displaced millions and plunged the country into what the United Nations deems the most severe humanitarian crisis globally.
