Disease outbreak kills five in southern Khartoum

April 25, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – At least five people have died in southern Khartoum over the past two weeks amid a major outbreak of watery diarrhoea, dengue fever, and malaria, activists said on Friday, warning of a potentially collapsing health situation in the war-affected area.

The outbreak follows the Sudanese Armed Forces’ (SAF) recent recapture of the Southern Belt area – encompassing neighbourhoods like Mayo, Al-Ingaz, Al-Azhari, and Al-Salama – which had been controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since the early days of the conflict.

Activists claim that prior to the SAF takeover, health facilities and pharmacies in the area were completely looted and destroyed, allegedly by RSF elements. This forced the facilities to cease operations, exacerbating the health crisis, they said.

A statement from the Southern Belt Emergency Committee, received by Sudan Tribune, said the area “is facing deteriorating health conditions amidst rising rates of serious diseases, directly attributed to the consequences of the war and the resulting decline in health services and deterioration in living conditions.”

The committee reported 52 cases of acute watery diarrhoea recorded by local health facilities, highlighting a “weak health response and a lack of necessary infrastructure to contain outbreaks.”

The statement also warned that 75 malaria cases were registered amid a “complete absence of preventive medications,” which increases the likelihood of widespread transmission.

The committee also reported three confirmed dengue fever cases and 50 suspected cases. It added that health facilities suffer from “severe equipment and personnel shortages.”

The five deaths over the past fortnight included two children, the statement said, adding they succumbed to diarrhoeal diseases and fevers due to a lack of timely treatment.

The emergency committee called for “urgent intervention from humanitarian organizations to provide health and medical relief and to contain the situation before it spirals out of control.”