Cholera outbreak exacerbates humanitarian crisis in Sudan amid ongoing war
Written by: Ayman Ragab
Amidst the ongoing war in Sudan, the country is witnessing a new and dangerous wave of cholera outbreaks that has claimed over 100 lives. This raises growing concerns about the situation of the most vulnerable populations, particularly in the besieged city of El Obeid, where daily drone attacks hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Dr. Shibli Shabani, the World Health Organization representative in Sudan, confirmed that the cholera epidemic has returned to several states, with the highest infection rates recorded in the Darfur and Kordofan regions in the west of the country.
He explained, during a press briefing in Geneva, that more than 1,330 confirmed cases and 114 deaths have been recorded due to the disease, which is preventable but can be fatal if those infected do not receive prompt treatment.
Why does that matter?
The confirmed death toll from the highly contagious cholera has reached 114 so far, while armed conflict continues to hinder access to health services and life-saving aid. The rainy season is also expected to worsen the spread of the disease, at a time when millions of people remain displaced and living in extremely vulnerable conditions.
Estimates indicate that the actual number of deaths could be much higher than reported, while relief agencies express grave concern about the possibility of the epidemic spreading to hundreds of thousands of displaced people who have fled cities and rural areas in North Kordofan.
North Kordofan state, located in central Sudan, is one of the most prominent battlegrounds between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
Increased risk of diseases
Dr. Sahbani pointed out that the cholera mortality rate has already reached 13.7 percent, a rate he described as “extremely high,” warning of its potential to increase with the onset of the rainy season.
Sudan faces the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with over 33 million people needing assistance, including 21 million requiring health services. Since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, at least 59,000 people have died.
Despite the return of some residents to states that have seen relative improvement in conditions, including the capital Khartoum, 13.4 million people remain displaced, with nine million internally displaced within Sudan and 4.6 million in neighboring countries.
The health threat is not limited to cholera, as the country is also witnessing the spread of diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, meningitis, hepatitis (A), and measles.
The World Health Organization representative expressed concern about the arrival of cholera in the city of El Obeid, where health facilities are severely overcrowded, while access to medical services remains extremely limited, further straining the fragile health system.
Demands for intensified humanitarian support
Dr. Sahbani explained that the World Health Organization had pre-positioned health supplies sufficient for more than 25,000 people in El Obeid city, but he acknowledged that these quantities do not meet the actual needs.
On Monday, the organization managed to deliver 8.5 tons of medical supplies to the cities of Kadugli and Dilling in South Kordofan as part of a joint humanitarian convoy, marking the first shipment to reach Kadugli since December 2024 due to access difficulties.
As Tahbani also reiterated the calls made by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, demanding that the international community act to prevent further atrocities in El Obeid and avoid a repeat of the mass killings that occurred in El Fasher after the Rapid Support Forces entered the city last October.
He concluded by calling on partners and donors to support humanitarian efforts by ensuring access to the city of El Obeid and providing adequate supplies and services, warning that the humanitarian situation is constantly deteriorating with increasing risks of disease outbreaks, malnutrition, and violence, including violence against women and children.
