A devastating cholera epidemic is sweeping Sudan, exacerbated by civil war and collapsing health infrastructure. Only an immediate, integrated response combining healthcare, clean water, and community mobilization can halt this epidemic and save thousands of lives.
Sudan is facing a serious cholera outbreak that has caused 172 deaths and more than 2,500 cases in the past week, according to health authorities. The epidemic, which began in mid-May, mainly affects the capital, Khartoum, and its twin city, Omdurman, but has also spread to several other regions, including North Kordofan, White Nile, and Gazira. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns that overwhelmed medical facilities are unable to handle the massive influx of patients.
Joyce Bakker, MSF coordinator in Sudan, describes a dramatic situation where “many patients arrive too late to be saved.” Treatment centers are saturated, and teams on the ground have only a partial understanding of the true scale of the epidemic. MSF is calling for an integrated emergency response, combining medical treatment with water, sanitation, and hygiene programs to contain the spread of this highly contagious and potentially fatal waterborne disease.
This outbreak comes amid a protracted civil war that has ravaged the country for over two years, pitting the Sudanese army against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has already caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 14 million. The return of displaced populations to Khartoum is placing critical strain on already collapsed infrastructure—especially the water supply—further worsening the health crisis.
The primary causes of cholera epidemics worldwide are linked to a lack of access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation infrastructure, and poor hygiene conditions. Cholera, a waterborne disease, spreads through the consumption of water or food contaminated with the Vibrio cholerae bacterium. These factors are worsened in areas affected by armed conflict, natural disasters, or mass population displacement, where health systems are often weak and vital resources are limited. The lack of effective health surveillance and delays in humanitarian response also contribute to the rapid spread of the disease.
In response to the deadly cholera outbreak currently ravaging Sudan, ADH calls for the immediate implementation of an integrated response plan that combines emergency medical care, access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and community awareness efforts. In a context marked by the collapse of health infrastructure and the saturation of treatment centers, it is crucial to strengthen medical capacity on the ground—particularly through the deployment of mobile cholera treatment centers, the provision of essential medicines, and the accelerated training of local health personnel. Rapid access to clean and safe water, through the distribution of chlorinated water and the rehabilitation of damaged water networks, is essential to halting the spread of this preventable disease.
At the same time, we stress the importance of large-scale community mobilization through public information campaigns in local languages on preventive measures, as well as the distribution of basic hygiene kits. Effective and coordinated epidemiological surveillance, in collaboration with local health authorities and humanitarian partners, is also vital for identifying and containing new outbreaks. To address this unprecedented health emergency, we call for international solidarity to provide the financial and logistical support needed for this integrated response—the only viable path to saving lives and preventing a broader health catastrophe.