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2,300 Cholera Deaths in Sudan in a Year

Moatinoon
The Sudanese Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday the registration of 1,307 new cholera cases and 18 associated deaths within a week, bringing the total number of deaths from the epidemic to 2,302.

The United Nations warned of the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Sudan, as the cholera outbreak, waves of displacement caused by floods, and a lack of aid threaten peoples lives across the country.

The ministry stated in a statement that cases were recorded in 12 of Sudans 18 states between July 12 and 18, bringing the total number of cases since the outbreak began in August 2024 to 91,034, including 2,302 deaths in 17 states.

The highest number of cases was recorded last week in Tawila, North Darfur, with 519 cases, followed by Geissan, Blue Nile State, with 236 cases.

In comparison, the ministry reported 674 cholera cases and 13 deaths in the previous week, between July 5 and 11.

The Tawila area in North Darfur State saw more than 1,300 cholera cases in just one week, amid a severe shortage of medical resources. Tawila hosts thousands of internally displaced people, most of whom fled deadly attacks on the famine-stricken Zamzam camp near El Fasher in mid-April.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that UN partners on the ground are struggling to meet the growing needs in the area, warning of increased challenges with the arrival of the rainy season.

Local and international partners have established cholera treatment centers, but current capacity is far from sufficient to handle the increasing number of cases, according to the UN office, which stressed the immediate need for additional resources, including more treatment centers, mobile health facilities, ambulances, and waste management tools.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that more than 1,400 people were displaced by flooding following heavy rains in Kassala State, eastern Sudan, destroying more than 280 homes.

A rapid needs assessment mission conducted by OCHA and humanitarian partners found that people who returned to their villages were forced to rely on open pools of water contaminated with waste and other pollutants due to the lack of any other water source. This increased the risk of waterborne diseases.

In White Nile State, many residents have begun returning to their homes in Umm Ramta locality. An assessment conducted by OCHA and humanitarian partners last week found an urgent need for health, water, sanitation, and hygiene support.

OCHA also reported an increase in the number of people returning to Khartoum and Blue Nile states, where authorities have begun to restore basic services. On Sudans northern border, the number of returnees from Egypt has increased. According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 1.3 million people have returned to their areas of origin since November of last year.

Returnees face serious challenges, particularly the threat posed by unexploded ordnance. These conditions often lead families to return to displacement sites, undermining the sustainability of these efforts.

The ongoing cholera outbreak coincides with a broader collapse of Sudanese infrastructure due to fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.