Cholera claims at least 172 lives in a week across Sudan

In a grim turn of events, the Sudanese Ministry of Health has reported a escalating cholera outbreak, with at least 172 deaths linked to the disease in the past week. The Federal Center for Emergency Operations in Sudan has confirmed a marked increase in cholera cases, with 2,729 recorded incidents and 172 deaths within a week, according to a ministry statement on Tuesday, May 27.

Khartoum State alone accounts for a stunning 90% of new infections. The state had already reported 51 cholera-related deaths in the first three weeks of May, as per a previous ministry report.

The highly contagious and often fatal acute intestinal infection is primarily spread through contaminated food and water by the bacterium, Vibrio cholerae. In the absence of treatment, the disease can prove fatal within a few hours.

Cholera has long been endemic in Sudan, but the current outbreak has gained momentum due to the breakdown of healthcare infrastructure and water supply systems caused by ongoing conflict. The country has been embroiled in a power struggle since April 2023, with General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and his former ally, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, leading opposing forces.

Last week, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Dagalo, withdrew from certain areas, including Khartoum State, having conducted drone strikes against several power plants, resulting in a city-wide power outage for several days. The loss of electricity has hampered the operational capacity of 90% of water pumping stations, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

In Khartoum, this lack of power has rendered water treatment stations inoperable, disabling their ability to process drinkable water from the Nile. The situation has left residents like Bashir Mohamed of Omdurman, a district in Khartoum State, without electricity for nearly two weeks. To obtain water, Mohamed and his family rely on purchasing it from vendors who transport it in donkey carts from the untreated Nile. This untreated water is believed to contribute significantly to the cholera outbreak, as confirmed by a doctor at Al-Naou Hospital in Omdurman.

The ongoing conflict has led to the temporary closure of 90% of hospitals across the country, further straining Sudan's already crippled healthcare system. The International Committee of the Red Cross estimated in April that 70-80% of healthcare facilities in affected areas are non-operational.

As the rainy season approaches, there is an urgent need for action to mitigate the escalating cholera outbreak. Organizations like the International Rescue Committee (IRC) are actively expanding their response efforts in Khartoum by setting up oral rehydration corners, distributing hygiene kits, and conducting water quality testing. However, the lack of resources, especially Oral Cholera Vaccine, poses significant challenges to containing the outbreak.

As the situation worsens, there is a growing need for coordinated international and local efforts to address the crisis, focusing on improving access to clean water, enhancing sanitation facilities, and supporting healthcare infrastructure across Sudan.

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