Cholera Outbreak Hits Khartoum in War-Torn Sudan
Noriko Watanabe and Michiyo Tanabe
Modern Tokyo Times
A cholera outbreak is hitting Khartoum and the surrounding environs in Sudan.
This is happening in a nation blighted by war. Also, recent drone attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in areas that deliver humanitarian aid are now occurring. Therefore, internal refugees are also putting strains on regional economies.
Naturally, the limited health care system in Sudan is in a dire situation. Hence, the cholera crisis is hitting Khartoum hard.
AP News reports, “A new cholera outbreak in Sudan has killed 172 people and sickened more than 2,500 over the past week, authorities said Tuesday as a leading medical group warned that the country’s existing health facilities were unable to cope with the surge of patients.”
Sheldon Yett (UNICEF Representative for Sudan) said, “Each day, more children are exposed to this double threat of cholera and malnutrition, but both are preventable and treatable, if we can reach children in time.”
Millions of uprooted Sudanese refugees have also fled war-torn Sudan. Accordingly, vast numbers have fled to Chad, South Sudan, and other regional nations.
Since the conflict began in 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, approximately 12 million people have been uprooted.
At least 70 people have died from cholera in Khartoum in the last 48 hours. However, with many people being unable to reach health care facilities, the death toll is likely higher.
The BBC reports, “According to local doctors, cited by Sudanese media, external, drone attacks have caused power outages at water purification stations, which has left people with no choice but to use unclean water.”
The BBC continues, “More than 150,000 people have been killed during Sudan’s conflict, which began over two years ago when Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began a vicious struggle for power.”
Cholera cases also exist in Gazira, Nile River, North Kordofan, Omdurman (Khartoum environs – twin city), and the White Nile.
UN News reports, “As with cholera, ongoing conflict and displacement have created conditions conducive to the spread of malaria. Overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions, coupled with the approaching rainy season, present a serious health risk to millions, particularly those returning to damaged communities.”
Lee Jay Walker (Modern Tokyo Times analyst) says, “The latest drone attacks against Port Sudan by the RSF are adding more pressure to a nation blighted by war, ethnic massacres, food insecurity, and other dire realities.
The International Rescue Committee reports, “The conflict in Sudan has decimated the country’s public infrastructure, including the health system. The health care system is suffering from an acute lack of staff, funding and medical supplies in addition to repeated attacks, looting and occupation of medical facilities and hospitals. More than 70 percent of health facilities are currently non-functional.”
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