The Sudanese Ministry of Health has reported that the number of cholera cases in the country has reached 20,398, with the death toll now at 597.
The spread of cholera has been fueled by heavy rains and floods affecting Sudan since June. Officials declared a cholera outbreak on August 12.
In the context of ongoing conflict, the country’s ineffective health system worsens the situation, making life increasingly challenging for residents amid the rise of infectious diseases.
UNICEF on Saturday announced the arrival of 1.4 million oral cholera vaccine doses at a port in the eastern part Sudan.
This shipment aims to protect children from a cholera outbreak which has affected 10 of the country’s 18 states since July, resulting in over 18,000 cases and killing 550, the UN agency said in a statement.
The new vaccines supplement 404,000 doses delivered last month, supporting ongoing immunization campaigns targeting 1.81 million people in the most affected areas, the statement underlined.
“Delivery of the vaccines … is essential for stopping the spread of these deadly diseases,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative to Sudan.
In Sudan, an estimated 3.4 million children under age 5 are at high risk of epidemic diseases, with 3.1 million people at risk of cholera by this December, UNICEF said.
The country’s health care system is struggling, with national vaccination coverage dropping from 85% to 50% and over 70% of hospitals in conflict areas non-operational.
The humanitarian crisis continues to worsen in Sudan as nearly 6.8 million people have fled their homes, seeking safety in other parts of the country or neighboring nations.
Several cease-fire agreements brokered by Saudi Arabia and US mediators have failed to end the violence.