UNICEF: The risk of cholera threatens more than a million children as its spread in the state of Khartoum

Since the beginning of the year, more than 7,700 Colera cases – including more than a thousand cases were reported among children under the age of five – and 185 deaths related to the disease in Khartoum State, according to the Sudanese health authorities. The number of cases has increased significantly between 15 and 25 May, as it increased from 90 cases per day to 815 cases.

UNICEF said that 34,000 people have returned to their homes in the state since January, but most of them to areas that lack basic services, including water and sanitation.

She emphasized that the ongoing attacks on the state’s power plants during the past month have led to the power outages and the aggravation of water shortages, forcing many families to collect water from unsafe and polluted sources. This has increased the risk of cholera and other deadly water -transmitted diseases.

In this regard, the UNICEF representative in Sudan, Shieldon Yat, said that every day “More children are exposed to this double threat of cholera and malnutrition, both of which are preventable and treated, if we can reach children in time.”

He said that the box and its partners “They are racing against time” To provide basic health care, clean water and nutrition, among other life -saving services, children “Those who are highly exposed to deadly diseases and severe severe malnutrition.”

UNICEF announced that it is implementing a cholera multi -sided response in Khartoum, targeting risk societies, including by distributing chemicals to treat household water, spreading chlorine devices in water points, and educating local communities about disease and prevention.

UNICEF has provided more than 13.7 million doses of oral cholera vaccines since 2023, including more than 9.2 million doses in 2024 and about 1.6 million doses in 2025.

The next batch, which includes about three million doses, is scheduled to reach the country at the end of this month, and will be distributed in most of the affected areas in the states of Khartoum and North Kordofan. However, the fund said that it urgently needs an additional $ 3.2 million to finance the emergency response to cholera in Khartoum State.

It is worth noting that since the beginning of cholera, which was officially announced on August 12, 2024, more than 65,200 injuries and more than 1700 deaths have been reported in 12 states out of 18 states in Sudan.