Cholera Outbreak Worsens Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan’s Darfur Region Amid Rainy Season

Sudan news: Cholera Outbreak Worsens Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan’s Darfur Region Amid Rainy Season. Image for illustration purposes only, generated with AI.

A deadly cholera outbreak in Sudan’s Darfur region is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis, with displaced families facing severe shortages of clean water, medicine, and sanitation facilities. The outbreak comes as ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to displace millions, leaving vulnerable populations at even greater risk.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 100,000 cholera cases have been reported across Sudan, with over 2,000 infections and at least 80 deaths recorded in Darfur between June and July alone. UNICEF warns that more than 600,000 children in North Darfur state are at high risk of contracting the disease, which can be fatal within hours if untreated.

Displacement Camps in Crisis

For families sheltering in overcrowded camps in Tawila, Darfur, the situation is desperate. Many have fled violence only to face a new threat: cholera, fueled by contaminated water and poor sanitation.

“We don’t have water. We don’t have anything—no services, not even toilets,” said one displaced resident. “Our children defecate in the open. There is no medicine, and the children are sick. We have nothing—no sheets, no mattresses, nothing.”

With limited access to medical care, some families resort to desperate measures, such as mixing lemon into water as a makeshift remedy. “We have no other choice,” one mother explained. “Even the water itself is cursed.”

Rainy Season Threatens to Worsen Outbreak

Humanitarian agencies fear the ongoing rainy season could accelerate the spread of cholera, as flooding contaminates water sources and hampers aid delivery.

“There’s a huge gap in terms of secure access to clean water,” said a health worker. “Some people are going directly to nearby wadis (seasonal rivers) to get drinking water, which is extremely worrying. They have no choice.”

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has opened a 160-bed cholera treatment center in Tawila and plans to expand it to 200 beds. The facility has already treated more than 1,500 patients, but resources remain stretched thin.

A Call for Urgent Aid

The UN and aid organizations are urging increased international support to contain the outbreak and provide lifesaving supplies. However, ongoing conflict and logistical challenges continue to hinder relief efforts.

For displaced families in Darfur, the cholera outbreak is yet another hardship in a long struggle for survival. As one resident put it: “We are just sitting here and waiting.”

With the rainy season underway and fighting showing no signs of abating, the need for humanitarian assistance has never been more urgent.

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