Sudan grapples with deadliest cholera epidemic in years, confirm MSF, reporting over 40 fatalities.
In Sudan's troubled Darfur region, a cholera outbreak has taken a devastating toll, with thousands of suspected cases and hundreds of deaths reported since August 2024. According to recent reports, over 94,000 cases and more than 2,400 deaths have been documented across Sudan, with Darfur states bearing a significant portion of the burden.
The ongoing armed conflict between Sudan’s regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has played a significant role in the spread of cholera. Over two years of fighting have left the region in ruins, with the RSF controlling much of Darfur and imposing sieges that severely restrict aid access.
The conflict has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, cramming into overcrowded camps or makeshift settlements with inadequate shelter and sanitation. This mass displacement has facilitated the transmission of cholera, as the disease spreads through contaminated food and water.
The lack of access to clean water and sanitation compounds the problem, as many displaced populations and residents lack essential water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) supplies. This shortage greatly increases the cholera risk, as contamination spreads via fecal matter in food and water.
The destruction or closure of health facilities, due to bombing and fighting, has also limited effective treatment and vaccination efforts. Furthermore, humanitarian aid restrictions have made delivering aid and WASH support nearly impossible, exacerbating the outbreak.
Cholera, an acute intestinal infection, can be deadly if left untreated but can be controlled through oral rehydration, antibiotics for severe cases, improved WASH, and vaccination campaigns. UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are actively working to provide vaccines, treatment, and WASH supplies, but access and funding remain critical obstacles.
The outbreak threatens to spill into neighbouring South Sudan and Chad due to regional population movements. In El-Fasher, the conditions for civilians trapped inside are appalling, with many forced to drink from contaminated sources. MSF warns that survivors of war must not be left to die from a preventable disease.
The war in Sudan has led to mass displacements of civilians, denying them access to clean water for essential hygiene measures. Heavy rains are worsening the cholera crisis by contaminating water and damaging sewage systems. MSF has reported over 2,300 cholera patients and 40 deaths in the past week in Darfur.
The cholera outbreak is spreading beyond displacement camps and into multiple localities across Darfur states and beyond. The exodus of civilians seeking refuge is spreading the disease. The situation is "beyond urgent," according to MSF’s head of mission in Sudan, Tuna Turkmen.
References:
- BBC News
- Reuters
- Al Jazeera
- The Guardian
- MSF
Read also:
- Inadequate supply of accessible housing overlooks London's disabled community
- Strange discovery in EU: Rabbits found with unusual appendages resembling tentacles on their heads
- Duration of a Travelling Blood Clot: Time Scale Explained
- Fainting versus Seizures: Overlaps, Distinctions, and Proper Responses
