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Cholera outbreak claims 40 lives in Sudan as conflict worsens
Sudan is enduring its deadliest cholera outbreak in years, with at least 40 fatalities reported in the war-torn Darfur region over the past week, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). The crisis is compounding the devastation caused by more than two years of armed conflict between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Darfur at the center of a dual catastrophe
Since Sudan’s Ministry of Health declared the outbreak a year ago, the country has recorded 99,700 suspected cholera cases and over 2,470 deaths. The epicenter of the outbreak is Darfur, where war, displacement, and collapsing infrastructure have created the perfect storm for a public health disaster.
In Tawila, North Darfur, residents struggle to survive on just three liters of water per day. Contaminated wells have become a necessity for survival. MSF project coordinator Sylvain Penicaud described the dire situation: “Two weeks ago, a body was found in a well inside one of the camps. It was removed, but within two days, people were forced to drink from that same water again.”
Overwhelmed healthcare system
Health facilities across Darfur are in crisis. Tawila Hospital’s cholera treatment center, built for 130 patients, was treating over 400 by early August, forcing many to lie on the floor as resources ran out.
MSF’s head of mission in Sudan, Tuna Turkmen, emphasized the urgency of the situation: “The international response must match the urgency of this catastrophic situation. Survivors of war must not be left to die from a preventable disease.” Turkmen called for immediate action to expand healthcare services, improve water sanitation, and implement mass vaccination campaigns.
The broader crisis in Sudan
Sudan’s ongoing war, which began in April 2023 in Khartoum, has killed over 40,000 people, displaced more than 12 million, and pushed millions to the brink of famine. In Darfur, the collapse of basic services and infrastructure has left the population particularly vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
As the conflict persists, aid organizations warn that the cholera epidemic could worsen without immediate global intervention.