Khartoum – Al-Yurae-(DW) –
The cholera crisis in Sudan is worsening, with record numbers of infections and deaths reported amid a failure to deliver humanitarian aid to conflict-hit regions. On Thursday, the European Union called on “all parties” in Sudan to allow immediate entry of international aid.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced that Sudan is facing its worst cholera outbreak in years, noting that its teams have treated over 2,300 patients and registered 40 deaths in Darfur in just the past week. MSF confirmed that the outbreak threatens thousands, especially in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces that lack essential services like clean water and hygiene facilities.
In a statement to DW, Minni Arko Minawi, governor of Darfur, said the majority of cholera patients are in areas outside government control and within territories held by the Rapid Support Forces.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that more than 640,000 children under the age of five are at risk of infection in North Darfur alone. The agency also indicated that over 2,408 cholera deaths have been recorded in 17 Sudanese states since August 2024. The World Health Organization reported about 4,000 cholera deaths globally since the beginning of 2025, with more than 95% occurring in Africa.
Humanitarian agencies warned that the peak of the rainy season in August will further intensify the spread of cholera in afflicted areas. Around 25 million people are facing acute food insecurity in Sudan, where famine has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Sudan has been witnessing a bloody war since April 2023 between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemeti). According to the United Nations, the conflict has resulted in the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and a de facto division of the country.
