Cholera outbreak worries Sudanese health officials

December 7, 2023 (PORT SUDAN) – A Sudanese Ministry of Health official has sounded the alarm over a surging cholera outbreak, with the number of confirmed cases reaching 5,727 and the death toll climbing to 176. The official expressed grave concerns about the epidemic’s potential to spread across vast swathes of the country.

Last November, a vaccination campaign against cholera was concluded in the states of Gedaref and Gezira, utilizing the first batch of 2.2 million vaccine doses provided by the Global Mechanism for the Elimination of Cholera.

According to a Sudanese Ministry of Health official, the epidemic has rapidly expanded in Red Sea State, with 1,115 cases and 49 fatalities reported. Additionally, 1,862 cases of cholera have been recorded in Gedaref, with 48 deaths.

The Ministry’s Epidemiological Department’s cumulative report on cholera, up to December 6, indicates 1,525 cases in Gezira State, including 24 deaths, 491 cases in Khartoum, including 26 deaths, 576 cases in White Nile, including 23 deaths, 88 cases in Sennar, including 3 deaths, 67 cases in Kassala, including 3 deaths, and 3 cases in Blue Nile.

The cholera outbreak initially emerged in Gedaref and Khartoum states last September, subsequently spreading to other states, including Gezira, Red Sea, and White Nile. The United Nations predicts that over three million Sudanese are at risk of contracting cholera.

Sudan’s healthcare sector has been on a downward spiral for years, severely hampering the country’s ability to effectively respond to epidemics. The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 15 this year has further exacerbated the situation, raising fears of a complete collapse of the healthcare system.

(ST)