WHO reports nearly 100,000 Sudanese hit by cholera【?】
WHO Warns of Rising Cholera, Hunger and Displacement in Sudan
Sudan’s Conflict Spurs Health Crisis
Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn by a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan and Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The fighting has claimed tens of thousands of lives and paved the way for widespread hunger, disease and suffering.
Cholera Outbreaks Across the Country
World Health Organization director‑general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that nearly 100,000 cholera cases have been reported in Sudan since July 2024, as the agency highlighted rough clinical surveillance gaps and fragile progress.
- Oral vaccination campaigns carried out in several states, including Khartoum, have helped curb the spread.
- Recent floods are expected to worsen hunger and fuel outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dengue and other diseases.
What Cholera Is and How It Works
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that spreads through contaminated food and water. Severe diarrhoea, vomiting and muscle cramps can kill within hours if not treated. However, the infection can be managed with simple oral rehydration and antibiotics for more severe cases.
Malnutrition Fuels the Crisis
In the besieged capital of North Darfur state, people are reportedly eating animal feed to survive. Across Sudan, millions face hunger and an estimated 770,000 children under five are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year.
WHO’s Nutrition Efforts Hindered by Access and Funding
In the first six months of this year, WHO nutrition centres treated more than 17,000 severely malnourished children with medical complications. Yet many more remain beyond reach.
WHO’s assistance is hampered by limited access and a lack of funding, having received less than a third of the money it has appealed for to provide urgent health aid in Sudan.
Link Between Violence, Hunger and Disease
As long as the violence continues in Sudan, the WHO director‑general warned: “We can expect to see more hunger, more displacement and more disease.”
