Sudan’s health ministry has reported that over 430 people have died from cholera in the last month as the country battles both a devastating civil war and a deadly health crisis.
The ministry also revealed that around 14,000 people have been infected with the disease, which continues to spread across the war-torn nation.
According to the BBC the health ministry in a statement, expressed its commitment to “combat cholera in the affected states” but acknowledged the increasing number of infections.
The ongoing conflict, which has killed up to 150,000 people since it erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has severely hampered efforts to deliver treatment to affected areas.
Humanitarian organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, have reported difficulties in reaching those in need due to regular obstructions by both warring factions.
MSF described the humanitarian response as “far below what is needed” to address the crisis.
The conflict has led to what the UN has described as one of the world’s worst humanitarian emergencies, with over nine million people displaced from their homes and severe fears of famine as agriculture has been disrupted.
There are also growing concerns of possible genocide against non-Arabs in Darfur, further worsening the dire situation.
Cholera, a highly contagious disease that causes severe diarrhea, dehydration, and death, can be treated relatively easily if addressed quickly. However, the collapse of Sudan’s healthcare system, exacerbated by war, floods, and overcrowded displacement camps, has led to widespread suffering.
Pregnant women and children are among the most vulnerable, with MSF reporting 114 maternal deaths in the South Darfur region between January and August 2024.
MSF’s emergency coordinator for Sudan, Esperanza Santos, described the conditions as a “perfect storm” for the cholera outbreak, worsened by the ongoing conflict.
In response to the crisis, authorities have implemented measures in some areas, including the closure of schools, markets, and stores, to curb the spread of the disease.
With the war showing no signs of ending, Sudan’s health system remains on the brink of collapse, leaving countless people without access to essential care.
The combined effects of war and disease have left the country facing one of the most severe humanitarian challenges in recent history.
