Approximately 100,000 individuals affected by cholera outbreak in Sudan, according to WHO
In western Sudan, a surge in cholera cases since 2021 has become a pressing public health emergency. The root causes of this outbreak are deeply intertwined with the ongoing conflict, displacement, and worsening humanitarian conditions, particularly during the rainy season.
Causes of the Outbreak
The RSF (Rapid Support Forces) offensive and the ensuing conflict have displaced over 780,000 people, disrupting sanitation and health infrastructure. This displacement, coupled with blocked humanitarian aid, especially in areas like El Fasher under siege, has severely impaired cholera treatment and prevention efforts.
Heavy rains during the rainy season exacerbate the contamination of water supplies, facilitating the spread of the Vibrio cholerae bacteria. Moreover, over 124 hospitals and health centers have been destroyed, reducing treatment capacity for cholera and other diseases.
Treatment and Response
Treatment for cholera involves rapid rehydration using oral rehydration salts (ORS) or intravenous fluids for severe cases. Antibiotics may be used for severe infections but are secondary to rehydration. Humanitarian and health agencies strive to provide clean water, sanitation, cholera vaccination campaigns, and treatment centers, though their efforts are often hampered by the ongoing conflict and limited access to vulnerable populations.
Current Situation
As of mid-2025, cholera outbreaks continue to afflict western Sudan, worsened by the rainy season and ongoing conflict. More than 640,000 children under five are at risk in the affected regions. The health system remains severely disrupted, with increasing malnutrition and other infectious disease outbreaks compounding the public health emergency.
International response includes emergency funding and outbreak alerts, but the scale of conflict limits effective coverage. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported nearly 100,000 cases of cholera in Sudan since July last year, with the outbreak affecting all states in the country.
The Power Struggle in Sudan
Since April 2023, a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has been ongoing in Sudan. This power struggle has been causing more hunger, displacement, and disease, further complicating the cholera crisis.
Looking Ahead
Recent floods in Sudan are expected to worsen hunger and fuel more outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dengue, and other diseases. Progress in controlling the cholera outbreak is fragile, and no specific timeline has been provided for the resolution of the power struggle in Sudan.
The WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has stated that unrelenting violence in Sudan has led to widespread hunger, disease, and suffering. The cholera outbreak spreads through food and water contaminated with bacteria, often from feces. Oral cholera vaccination campaigns have been conducted in several states of Sudan, including the capital Khartoum, but the ongoing crisis continues to pose significant challenges for treatment and containment.
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