The U.N. children’s agency warned Thursday that more than one million children in Sudan’s Khartoum state are at risk amid a cholera outbreak and worsening humanitarian crisis in areas battered by conflict and displacement.
Since January, health officials have reported more than 7,700 cholera cases in Khartoum, including more than 1,000 among children under five. At least 185 deaths have been recorded.
“We are racing against time with our partners to provide essential healthcare, clean water, good nutrition and other life-saving services for the children who are among the most vulnerable to deadly diseases and severe acute malnutrition,” UNICEF Representative in Sudan, Sheldon Yett, said in a statement.
“Every day that passes puts more children at risk from this dual threat,” Yett added. “Both cholera and malnutrition are preventable and treatable if we can reach children in time.”
UNICEF said more than 3 million people have been displaced from their homes in Khartoum state alone, and millions more are affected by the ongoing crisis.