Sudan cholera outbreak kills 120, WHO reports

Sudan is grappling with a severe cholera outbreak, which has claimed the lives of 120 people and led to over 1,100 suspected cases since May, according to the World Health Organization. The outbreak is primarily affecting isolated war zones, highlighting the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict.

The protracted war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has crippled the nation's healthcare infrastructure. This marks Sudan's third cholera wave in as many years, emerging just two months after the previous outbreak was declared over.

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due to the conflict, constraints in access and limited supplies

Dr. Shible Sahbani, the WHO's Sudan chief, attributed the near-continuous outbreaks to the conflict, access constraints, and limited medical supplies. The situation is expected to deteriorate with the onset of the rainy season, which typically sees cholera cases surge as millions lack access to clean water and movement becomes more difficult.

The Sudanese government recently declared the outbreak in West Kordofan state, a key dividing line between army and RSF control. The region faces constant drone strikes, making commercial and aid access perilous and pushing hundreds of thousands toward starvation. The WHO noted the outbreak's spread, with nearly 300 suspected cases and three deaths reported in neighboring North Kordofan, where the UN fears an RSF assault on the capital El-Obeid could lead to mass atrocities.

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Forty percent of health facilities are non-functional at all, and the remaining almost 60 percent are only partially functioning, meaning they are providing only a few services, or not enough to patients in the area