The cholera epidemic in Sudan risks worsening due to the armed conflict, massive population displacements, and the arrival of the rainy season, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday. The UN agency fears a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in a country already ravaged by more than three years of war.
The epidemic, officially declared on June 27, has already caused the deaths of at least 114 people and infected more than 1,300 others, according to figures released by the WHO. The disease is spreading in several regions of the country, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan, where access to healthcare and humanitarian teams remains severely limited by the fighting.
“Cholera is back,” said Shible Sahbani, WHO representative in Sudan, at a press conference in Geneva. He stressed that the current mortality rate, estimated at 13,7%, was “extremely high” and that the coming weeks could be even more difficult with the arrival of the rains.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection that can be fatal if not treated promptly. The disease thrives particularly in areas with inadequate sanitation and insufficient access to clean water, conditions that have become common in Sudan since the start of the conflict.
The war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has led to the collapse of many public services, particularly in the health sector. Millions of people have been displaced within the country or have fled to neighboring states, further complicating efforts to prevent and treat the disease.
The WHO believes that the combination of conflict, displacement, and weather conditions favorable to the spread of the disease could trigger a new wave of infections. Health authorities and humanitarian organizations are calling for increased access to affected populations to limit the impact of the epidemic.
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