Cholera epidemic in Sudan's capital: 172 dead in just one week!

Cholera epidemic in Sudan's capital: 172 dead in just one week!

The Ministry of Health in Sudan has announced alarming numbers for a cholera outbreak: in the past week, 172 deaths and 2,700 diseases were registered. Most cholera cases concentrate on the state of Khartoum, where about 90 percent of the infections were found. According to Al Jazera , the water and power supply in KhartouM are significantly impaired by attacks with drones, which are significantly impaired by attacks with drones, which the paramilitary rapid support Forces (RSF). These conflicts have been ongoing since April 2023 and have severely tightened the humanitarian situation in the country.

The cholera outbreak is not new: more than 2,300 cases and 51 deaths have been reported in the past three weeks. Health Minister Haitham Ibrahim attributes the increase in cholera cases to the return of displaced persons to the Khartoum region, which also contains the water resources. This month, the RSF also attacked three transformer stations in Khartoum, which means that many water treatment plants are out of operation due to a lack of electricity. This is forced to use the residents of using uncertain water sources that can contribute to the spread of cholera.

climbing the diseases and overloading of medical institutions

doctors without borders (MSF) reports on a worrying increase in cholera cases since mid-May. Almost 2,000 suspected cases were treated last week. The treatment centers in Omdurman are overloaded and many patients are only too late for treatment, which increases the death rate. The cholera pathogen is transmitted via contaminated food and water and can be fatal untreated. Regardless of this, the health conditions in Sudan are extremely tense due to the ongoing conflict. Up to 90 percent of the hospitals had to close at times due to the fights, and many of these facilities were damaged or looted.

The situation has also deteriorated in other parts of the country: Cholera cases were also reported in the provinces of North Kordofan, Sennar, Gazira, White Nile and Nile River. MSF calls for a coordinated reaction that urgently includes water, sanitary and hygiene measures as well as more treatment centers. To date, the conflict in Sudan has cost over 20,000 people and forced more than 14 million people to flee, which portrays the greatest humanitarian crisis worldwide, such as AP News reported.

cholera as a long -term problem

cholera is an endemic disease in Sudan and the outbreaks have intensified since the beginning of the war. The humanitarian conditions are catastrophic in many regions of the country. In the camps for internal displaced people in particular, the situation is often characterized by lack of food, poor health services and the constant risk of being affected by diseases such as cholera. Doctors without borders has expanded health care in some of these camps, but faces enormous challenges.