WHO Warns Cholera Outbreak in Sudan May Worsen Amid War and Rainy Season
WHO Warns Cholera Outbreak in Sudan May Worsen Amid War and Rainy Season
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The World Health Organization has warned that Sudan’s health situation is deteriorating, saying the cholera outbreak in the country is likely to worsen in the coming period as armed conflict continues, displacement expands, and the rainy season increases the risk of waterborne diseases.
The WHO said the cholera outbreak, declared on June 27, has killed at least 114 people and infected more than 1,300 others. Cases have been reported in several states, especially Darfur and Kordofan, where aid teams and health workers face major difficulties reaching affected communities.
WHO representative in Sudan Shible Sahbani said “cholera is back,” noting that the fatality rate has reached 13.7 percent, a level he described as extremely high. He warned that the rainy season could accelerate the spread of the disease and deepen the health crisis.
The organization said Sudan is facing the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with more than 33 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and around 21 million lacking access to basic health services, amid growing pressure on the country’s health system.
Sahbani also expressed concern over conditions in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, where siege conditions and declining medical services continue amid clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
The United Nations also said Sudan’s humanitarian response plan remains severely underfunded, having received only 12 percent of the required $2.7 billion needed to assist around 15 million people. The funding gap threatens to further worsen the country’s humanitarian and health conditions.
