Cholera Outbreak in Khartoum: A Public Health Crisis.

A severe cholera outbreak is currently ravaging Khartoum, Sudan, resulting in a significant loss of life and further exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation in the war-torn region. Local health authorities report at least 70 fatalities within a 48-hour period, highlighting the rapid and devastating spread of the disease.

The Khartoum state health ministry reported alarming figures of 942 new infections and 25 deaths on one day, preceded by 1,177 cases and 45 deaths the day before. The epicenter of the outbreak is Khartoum, a city grappling with the profound consequences of over two years of conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The ongoing conflict has crippled essential infrastructure, including access to clean water and electricity, which was further compromised by recent drone attacks attributed to the RSF. The already fragile health and sanitation systems are now on the verge of collapse, with reports indicating that approximately 90 percent of hospitals in critical war zones are non-operational.

According to the federal health ministry, 172 cholera-related deaths were recorded in the week leading up to Tuesday, with Khartoum state accounting for 90 percent of these fatalities. Aid workers on the ground emphasize that the scale of the outbreak is directly linked to the near-total breakdown of healthcare services.

The International Rescue Committee’s Sudan Country Director, Eatizaz Yousif, warns that “Sudan is on the brink of a full-scale public health disaster,” citing the confluence of conflict, displacement, destroyed infrastructure, and lack of clean water as primary drivers of the resurgence of cholera and other deadly diseases.

Since August 2024, Sudan has documented over 65,000 suspected cholera cases and at least 1,700 deaths across 12 of its 18 states. Within Khartoum alone, there have been 7,700 cases and 185 deaths, including over 1,000 infections among children under five.

The situation is expected to worsen with the onset of the rainy season, which will likely impede humanitarian access further. Aid organizations are urgently calling for immediate action to prevent a further escalation of the death toll.

UNICEF estimates that more than one million children in cholera-affected areas of Khartoum are at risk. Sheldon Yett, UNICEF’s representative in Sudan, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “We are racing against time… to provide basic healthcare, clean water and good nutrition. Each day, more children are exposed to this double threat of cholera and malnutrition.”

The conflict, now entering its third year, has already resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, the displacement of 13 million people, and the creation of the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis. The cholera outbreak serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of prolonged conflict on public health and the urgent need for comprehensive humanitarian intervention.