Sudan is facing a cholera epidemic that has already claimed the lives of nearly 700 people and infected more than 24,000 others.
For several months, the disease has ravaged the country, exacerbated by a devastating war which has lasted for more than 18 months, undermining the already fragile health infrastructure. Cholera, a highly contagious disease, now affects 11 of Sudan’s 18 states, and health authorities face a major challenge.
According to Ahmed Ali Atta, a doctor at the Department of Emergency and Epidemic Control of the Ministry of Health, the situation in some regions is particularly alarming. “There are a large number of people arriving suffering from the disease. And we have more people in the other section. For now, the situation in the New Halfa area is not as serious. The large number of arrivals comes from the Radaga region »he specifies. The town of New Halfa, although less affected for the moment, is becoming a focal point for many people fleeing the areas most affected by cholera.
However, sanitary conditions in New Halfa are far from ideal. The massive influx of displaced people has put a strain on local infrastructure, which is already insufficient.
Imad al-Din Maki, a displaced person from easternAl Jazeera Statedemonstrates the precariousness of the situation: “The health situation here is very bad, frankly. Over 300 people or around 250 people use three bathrooms which are almost primitive. » These unsanitary living conditions favor the rapid spread of cholera, further endangering the health of populations already weakened by the conflict.
Sudan’s health sector is suffering from a dramatic shortage of medical equipment and drugs, complicating efforts to contain the disease. While health authorities try to contain the epidemic in extremely difficult conditions, displaced families continue to live in inhumane conditions, without sufficient access to basic care.
This cholera outbreak highlights the deteriorating health situation in Sudan, where efforts to combat the disease face considerable obstacles, including political instability and armed conflict. The most vulnerable populations, already victims of the fighting, now find themselves faced with a health crisis which threatens to claim even more victims.
