UNICEF announced the arrival of 1.4 million doses of oral cholera vaccine at a port in eastern Sudan on Saturday.
The shipment aims to combat a cholera outbreak that has spread to 10 of Sudan’s 18 states since July.
The outbreak has caused over 18,000 cases and claimed 550 lives, according to UNICEF.
This new batch of vaccines follows 404,000 doses delivered last month, supporting efforts to immunize 1.81 million people in the hardest-hit regions.
Sheldon Yett, UNICEF’s representative to Sudan, emphasized the importance of vaccine delivery in controlling the spread of these deadly diseases.
An estimated 3.4 million children under the age of five are at high risk of epidemic diseases in Sudan.
UNICEF estimates that 3.1 million people are at risk of contracting cholera by December.
Sudan’s healthcare system is in crisis, with vaccination coverage plummeting from 85% to 50%. Over 70% of hospitals in conflict zones are non-operational.
Since April 2023, the country has been ravaged by conflict between Burhan-controlled SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), worsening the humanitarian crisis.