The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that nearly 100,000 suspected cholera cases have been reported across Sudan since July 2023, with the country continuing to face a devastating humanitarian crisis caused by ongoing armed conflict.
The war between Sudan’s military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has plunged the nation into chaos since April last year. Tens of thousands have been killed, while millions more are suffering from displacement, hunger, and disease.
“Cholera has spread throughout all states in Sudan,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference in Geneva.
“Although recent trends show a decline, major gaps in disease monitoring remain, and the situation remains precarious.”
Mass oral cholera vaccination campaigns have been launched, including in the capital, Khartoum. However, Tedros warned that the situation is likely to worsen following recent widespread flooding, which could trigger new outbreaks of cholera, dengue fever, malaria, and other infectious diseases.
Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal illness transmitted through contaminated food and water, and if left untreated, it can prove fatal within hours.
Alongside the health emergency, widespread hunger continues to grip the population. In the besieged city of El-Fasher, residents are reportedly consuming animal feed to survive.
The WHO estimates that 770,000 children under five will suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year.
Tedros emphasised that humanitarian efforts are being hampered by poor access and inadequate funding, noting that the WHO has received less than a third of the emergency funds it requires.
