KHARTOUM, Sudan — May 28, 2025 — Sudan is grappling with a deadly resurgence of cholera that has claimed at least 172 lives and infected more than 2,500 individuals over the past week alone, health authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The outbreak is the latest crisis in a nation already overwhelmed by civil conflict, mass displacement, and a crumbling healthcare system.
The majority of cases have emerged in the capital, Khartoum, and the adjacent city of Omdurman, though cholera infections have now been reported across several other provinces, painting a bleak national picture of rapid disease spread and failing infrastructure.
According to international medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), the alarming surge of cases has completely overwhelmed Sudan’s already fragile healthcare system. The group’s teams on the ground are struggling to manage the influx of patients suffering from the highly contagious, water-borne illness.
“We’re seeing an explosion in suspected cholera cases,” said Joyce Bakker, Sudan coordinator for MSF. “In just the past week, our teams have treated nearly 2,000 people, and that’s just a fraction of the true scale of this outbreak.”
Bakker described the conditions in cholera treatment centers as dire and heartbreaking. “The scenes are disturbing. Many patients are arriving far too late to be saved. We are witnessing preventable deaths daily,” she said.
She emphasized the need for an urgent, coordinated response, urging national and international partners to step in. “We need more treatment facilities, more resources, and robust water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs. Time is critical.”
A National Crisis Amid a Humanitarian Catastrophe
This recent cholera outbreak comes amid Sudan’s deepening humanitarian crisis, now in its third consecutive year of civil war. Since fighting erupted in April 2023 between rival military factions, an estimated 20,000 people have been killed—though humanitarian groups suggest the actual number may be much higher due to limited access to conflict zones. Over 14 million Sudanese have been displaced, many forced into makeshift camps with little access to clean water or medical care.
Sudan’s Health Minister, Dr. Haitham Ibrahim, acknowledged the severity of the crisis and pointed to the mass return of displaced residents to Khartoum and surrounding areas as one of the key factors contributing to the surge in cholera cases.
“People are returning to neighborhoods without safe water or proper sanitation,” Dr. Ibrahim said in a statement. “This has placed enormous pressure on Khartoum’s already depleted water infrastructure and increased the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera.”
He noted that while international assistance has arrived in limited quantities, much more is needed. “We are working with global partners, but the scale of the challenge is unprecedented,” the minister added.
The Silent Killer: Cholera in Conflict Zones
The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly warned of the risk of disease outbreaks in war-torn Sudan. In a recent update, the agency said cholera is one of the most dangerous threats to displaced populations, particularly in areas where safe drinking water and sanitation are unavailable.
Cholera is caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the Vibrio cholerae bacterium. The disease develops rapidly and can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and even death within hours if left untreated. Children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable.
WHO also confirmed that the outbreak in Sudan is part of a broader cholera resurgence affecting at least 18 countries across Africa since the start of 2025. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, and South Sudan have been particularly hard-hit.
Back in March, MSF teams reported an earlier wave of cholera in Sudan’s White Nile State. At that time, 92 deaths and 2,700 infections were recorded since late February. Public health officials had warned that without urgent interventions, further outbreaks in densely populated regions like Khartoum were inevitable.
Inadequate Response and Unfolding Tragedy
Despite these warnings, local health facilities remain ill-equipped. Doctors Without Borders said they are working around the clock to provide care but face shortages of rehydration salts, intravenous fluids, and trained staff.
“We are only scratching the surface of the need,” MSF’s Joyce Bakker said. “And with the country’s healthcare system on the verge of collapse, it’s unclear how long we can keep going.”
Communities across Sudan are now being urged to take preventative measures where possible. However, public health campaigns are struggling to reach the most vulnerable due to security issues and ongoing displacement.
“There are entire neighborhoods where humanitarian workers cannot enter safely,” a spokesperson for the Sudanese Red Crescent Society told Africalivenews. “That means thousands of people are cut off from help, clean water, or even basic information about how to protect themselves.”
International Aid Needed Urgently
The United Nations has described Sudan’s unfolding situation as the largest humanitarian crisis in the world today. The ongoing civil war has not only displaced millions but severely disrupted access to food, medicine, and clean water—key drivers behind the rapid spread of disease.
WHO and other global health bodies are calling for urgent international support to contain the outbreak before it spreads further.
“We need more than medical teams. We need trucks carrying clean water, sanitation kits, and mobile treatment centers,” said a WHO spokesperson. “Otherwise, we risk seeing thousands more die from a disease that is entirely preventable.”
As the death toll climbs and more provinces report infections, experts warn that Sudan’s cholera crisis could escalate into a full-blown regional emergency if neighboring countries do not increase cross-border health surveillance and support.
For now, Sudanese families continue to bury their loved ones amid war, hunger, and now disease—with no clear end in sight.
