A fast-spreading cholera outbreak has hit Sudan, with officials reporting over 1,000 cases a day in the capital city of Khartoum. The outbreak is centered around Khartoum and has spread as many Sudanese who had fled the country’s war return home. Residents are often only able to find unclean water, a dangerous conduit for the disease, as much of the sanitation system has collapsed amid the civil war.
According to Nicolas Jean, head of Doctors Without Borders mission in Sudan, Khartoum is now getting above 1,000 cases a day. “The lack of clean water, hygiene, and lack of access to healthcare” are blamed for the rise in the spread of the disease. Most cases have been reported in Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman, but cholera was also detected in several provinces, including North Kordofan, Sennar, Gazira, White Nile, and Nile River.
The civil war has devastated Sudan since it erupted in April 2023, with at least 24,000 people reported killed and over 14 million displaced. The war has wrecked the country’s infrastructure, including its healthcare system, making it difficult to contain the outbreak. Many people are packed into displacement centers, making it challenging to isolate those infected.
Health workers fear the outbreak could spread quickly, given the poor sanitation and lack of clean water. The World Health Organization describes cholera as a “disease of poverty” because it spreads where there is poor sanitation and a lack of clean water. Cholera is a diarrheal disease caused by contaminated food or water and is easily treatable with rehydration solutions and antibiotics.
However, the global stockpile of oral cholera vaccines has dropped below its minimum threshold, making it increasingly difficult to stop outbreaks. The WHO has reported a rise in cholera epidemics around the world since 2021 due to poverty, conflict, and extreme climate events. With the current situation in Sudan, the country is facing a significant challenge in containing the outbreak and providing adequate healthcare to its citizens.