A cholera outbreak in Sudan has claimed at least 120 lives and left more than 1,100 people with suspected infections, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), raising fresh concerns over the country’s deteriorating humanitarian and public health situation.
The WHO said that since the latest outbreak began in May, health authorities have recorded 1,102 suspected cholera cases, with the disease spreading rapidly amid Sudan’s ongoing conflict and the collapse of critical healthcare services.
The outbreak comes as Sudan continues to grapple with one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with months of armed conflict severely damaging hospitals, disrupting access to clean water and sanitation, and forcing millions of people from their homes.
According to the UN health agency, the destruction of healthcare infrastructure has significantly weakened the country’s ability to detect, treat and contain infectious diseases, increasing the risk of further transmission.
Health experts warn that overcrowded displacement camps, inadequate sanitation facilities, shortages of safe drinking water and limited access to medical care have created ideal conditions for the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera.
The WHO said efforts are underway to contain the outbreak through disease surveillance, emergency medical treatment, public health education and the distribution of essential medical supplies. The agency is working alongside Sudanese health authorities and humanitarian partners to strengthen the country’s response despite the challenging security environment.
However, humanitarian organisations caution that ongoing violence continues to hinder relief operations, making it difficult for healthcare workers to reach affected communities and deliver life-saving assistance.
Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. If left untreated, it can cause severe dehydration and death within hours. The disease is largely preventable through access to clean water, proper sanitation, good hygiene practices and prompt medical treatment.
The WHO has urged communities to observe strict hygiene measures, including drinking safe water, washing hands regularly with soap, and seeking immediate medical attention when symptoms such as severe diarrhoea and vomiting occur.
International aid agencies have also renewed calls for increased humanitarian support, warning that Sudan’s fragile health system is struggling to cope with multiple disease outbreaks while the conflict continues to displace millions of people.
The civil war, which erupted in April 2023, has devastated much of the country’s healthcare infrastructure, leaving many hospitals damaged, understaffed or completely non-functional. The conflict has also disrupted routine immunisation programmes and limited access to essential medicines, increasing the vulnerability of communities to preventable diseases.
The WHO warned that without urgent action to improve access to healthcare, clean water and sanitation, the cholera outbreak could worsen in the coming weeks, particularly in areas where fighting continues to restrict humanitarian access.
As health authorities intensify efforts to contain the disease, humanitarian organisations continue to stress that ending the conflict and restoring essential public services remain critical to preventing further loss of life and averting a deeper public health emergency in Sudan.
