The cholera outbreak that began in July 2024 has spread across every state in Sudan and is worsening as the rainy season continues. The World Health Organization representative Shible Sahbani reported the disease in 133 areas of all 18 states, with more than 105,000 cases and over 2,600 deaths since July 2024. Cholera, a bacterial illness usually passed through contaminated food or water, causes severe diarrhoea and can kill within hours if untreated.
Heavy rains have damaged weak sewage systems and washed waste into streets and homes, increasing contamination. Stagnant pools have created sites for flies that carry disease. The ongoing war has forced large population movements and left around 80% of health facilities out of service; damage to water and electricity infrastructure has reduced access to safe water, food and medical treatment, making control efforts harder.
Earlier this year about 370,000 people fled to the Tawila region of North Darfur, where agencies reported catastrophic sanitary conditions. In August, MSF teams working with Sudan’s Ministry of Health treated more than 2,300 cholera patients and overwhelmed a 130-bed centre; UN agencies say around 380,000 people have arrived in Tawila since last April. The outbreak also threatens neighbours: camps in Chad holding some 300,000 people faced spread from a Dougi camp outbreak and 68 deaths were reported in late August, while South Sudan’s outbreak that began in October 2024 had resulted in more than 80,000 cases and 1,400 deaths by July this year.
UN agencies call for urgent funding: the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates US$50 million is required for the cholera response, but only 16% has been received. Aid workers say rapid action is imperative, but warn that efforts will be limited unless the war ends.
Difficult words
- cholera — bacterial disease causing severe diarrhoea and dehydration
- outbreak — sudden start and spread of disease
- contaminate — make water or food unsafe by adding germscontaminated
- sewage — waste water and liquids from homes
- stagnant — not moving, often dirty or standing water
- infrastructure — basic systems like water electricity and services
- overwhelm — unable to cope because there is too muchoverwhelmed
- sanitary — clean and healthy, preventing disease and infection
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Discussion questions
- How do damaged water and electricity systems make controlling cholera harder in affected areas? Give reasons from the article.
- What risks do large population movements create for spreading disease to neighbouring regions? Use examples from the text.
- What short-term actions could aid groups prioritise now, given limited funding and damaged health facilities? Explain using points from the article.
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