Cholera Kills 400 in Sudan’s Darfur, Cases Top 6,000, Official Says

WHO, Sudan Ministry of Health, and aid groups are stepping up their response to the sudden upsurge of cholera cases in Kosti, White Nile on Feb 20, 2025- WHO photo

August 10, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – A cholera outbreak in Sudan’s war-torn Darfur region has killed more than 400 people and infected over 6,000 amid a collapsing health system, a regional government official said on Saturday.

The epidemic is spreading rapidly through parts of North, Central, and South Darfur, areas controlled mainly by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been at war with the Sudanese army since April 2023.

“The number of cholera infections in Darfur has exceeded 6,000 cases, while more than 400 deaths related to the disease have been recorded,” Babiker Hamadein, the Darfur region’s Minister of Health, said in a statement.

He described the rate of new infections as “alarming” and attributed the health crisis to the RSF’s control over the region. He accused the group of destroying infrastructure, looting medical supplies, and interfering with hospital operations.

The cholera outbreak is compounding a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The region is also experiencing rampant malnutrition, with a July report showing that rates of severe acute malnutrition among children had surpassed emergency thresholds set by the World Health Organization in 9 of Darfur’s 13 localities.

Hamadein said the ongoing conflict, including the months-long RSF siege of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur severely hamper efforts to contain the disease.

The siege has blocked critical medical and food supplies, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to eat animal feed to survive, according to reports from the area.

“Initiatives to improve sanitation and provide clean water, vaccines, and food face immense difficulties,” Hamadein said, citing the siege, a lack of funding, and a shortage of medical staff as key obstacles. He added that health officials were coordinating with international partners to mobilize resources and launch vaccination campaigns.