Since a cholera outbreak in Sudan deteriorates, UNICEF reports the increased risk to thousands of children and it works together with other health authorities to protect those who are at risk in a country that has already been destroyed by constantly violent conflict.
By Sr. Jecinter antoinette okoth, fssa
In response to a fast -growing cholera outbreak that threatens thousands of lives, the International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) of the United Nations collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Sudanese Ministry of Public Health to protect the spread of the disease and vulnerable children.
A UNICEF report emphasizes that “more than 292,000 children run the risk of cholera in the state of Witte Nile, Sudan”, and more than 500 children belong to the 2,700 cholera cases that are reported between January 1 and February 24, 2025.
Because of this concern, the UN agencies have performed interventions to curb the outbreak, and on 21 February they “launched a six-day Cholera vaccination campaign in the places of Kosti and Rabak in White Nile.”
In addition, UNICEF Cholera has provided treatment skits and supports the use of frontline employees in Cholera treatment centers to strengthen care. They also support the training of public health workers in monitoring infection prevention and members of the community to check the situation on the spot.
According to the report, the campaign is intended to reach more than a million people with oral cholera vaccines.
Why rapid rise in cholera cases
With cholera cases that rise in affected regions of Sudan, the UN agencies together with the federal Ministry of Health and Humanitarian partners notice that “a large power outage, after attacks on electricity power stations on February 16, the watercourses in the locations of Kosti and Rabak in the state of the White -Rivile -Rivel -Rivel in the state in the state in the state in the state in the state in the state in the state in the state in the state in the state of the state in the condition of the state of the state in the state of the State in the State in the state of the State in the State in the State in the State in the State in the State in the State in the State in the State in the State in the State in the State.”
They also revealed that limited or no access to safe drinking water, in combination with a sharp fall in vaccination rates, deteriorates the crisis and increases the risk of cholera, in particular in relocation camps and overcrowded urban centers.
In general, White Nile State houses an estimated 650,000 internal displaced persons (IDPs) and 400,000 refugees. In this case, population movements on the border with South Sudan add further challenges for controlling the outbreak.
Cholera is a life -threatening disease for children
According to UNICEF representative in Sudan, Sheldon Yett, Cholera is a serious threat to children’s life and can lead to death within a few hours if they are not treated quickly.
“The continuous destruction of the critical humanitarian infrastructure has not left a child safely in this war,” he said. “If children access to clean water, sanitary facilities and hygiene and information are denied to prevent the spread of cholera, the epidemic will unfortunately continue.”
Since the Kosti region is most affected, with an estimated 292,000 children who are at risk, UNICEF has “provided chemicals for fuel and water treatment to support the operation of the primary water treatment plant, which offers access to safe water to around 150,000 people.”
Subsequently, “Unicef and partners also spread life -saving water, sanitary facilities and hygiene in affected locations to guarantee access to safe water and to strengthen good practices.”
At the same time, they are “communities, through discussions and social media, to spread important messages about the causes, symptoms and prevention of cholera.”
Mr. Yett warned that outbreaks of diseases, such as this cholera crisis, can overwhelmed fragile health systems and the already weakened sanitation infrastructure can be weakened.
Although tackling the immediate emergency situation is crucial, he continued: “We must invest in strengthening the systems that underlie the services that children need.”
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