KHARTOUM (News Desk) – At least 120 people have died and 1,102 suspected cholera cases have been reported in Sudan since May, as the country grapples with a worsening health emergency amid its prolonged civil conflict, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
The outbreak, declared this week in West Kordofan state, marks Sudan’s third cholera wave in as many years. WHO officials warned that the disease is spreading rapidly, with nearly 300 suspected cases and three deaths also reported in neighbouring North Kordofan.
WHO Representative in Sudan Dr. Shible Sahbani said cholera outbreaks, once occurring every three years, have become almost continuous due to the ongoing conflict, restricted humanitarian access, and shortages of medical supplies.
The country’s healthcare system has been severely damaged by more than three years of fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to the WHO, around 40 percent of health facilities are completely non-functional, while the remaining facilities are operating only partially, limiting access to essential medical services.
The approaching rainy season is expected to worsen the outbreak as millions of people lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Aid agencies have also warned that continued drone strikes and insecurity are hampering relief efforts and increasing the risk of famine in conflict-affected regions.
Between July 2024 and March 2026, Sudan recorded more than 124,400 cholera infections and over 3,500 deaths during the previous outbreak.
Humanitarian organizations have urged immediate international support to contain the disease and restore critical health services as the country faces one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
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