Cholera: Sudanese public urged to take measures as deaths rise

27/11/2023 13:13 PORT SUDAN / EL GEZIRA

Vaccines arrive in Port Sudan on November 14, 2023 (File photo: UNICEF)

Health ministries in Sudan states are calling on the public to take measures to curtail the spread of cholera, and the proliferation of mosquito vectors for dengue, as the seasonal outbreak of disease takes hold. The medical response across the country is dramatically curtailed by the ongoing war.

The Ministry of Health in Sudan’s Red Sea state has recorded 249 suspected cases of cholera, including 186 confirmed cases, including five deaths. The ministry demanded in a statement the need to provide immediate chlorination of local water supplies in Sudan.

The El Gezira state health ministry announced the registration of 1,060 suspected cases of cholera, including 21 deaths during the period from October 9 to November 24. The ministry appealed to the public to empty, wash, and dry all water tanks and containers, and leave them exposed to the sun for three days, and also to prevent standing water against the proliferation of mosquitoes, the main vectors for dengue fever and malaria.

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, 2.2 million cholera and 7.5 million measles-rubella vaccines were airlifted to Port Sudan for distribution two weeks ago to combat disease outbreaks across Sudan.

Outbreak

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says 3.1 million people in Sudan are at risk of cholera in eight states between July and December 2023.

In a report on Tuesday, OCHA confirmed that Sudan declared a cholera outbreak in El Gedaref on September 26. As of November 9, at least 2,525 suspected cases of cholera, including 78 associated deaths, have been reported in 27 localities in six states – El Gedaref, South Kordofan, Kassala, Khartoum, El Gezira, and Sennar, OCHA says.

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On 5 October 2024 in Port Sudan, Sudan, UNICEF Health Officer Khattab Obaid inspects a shipment of cholera vaccines in the back of a refrigerated truck before they are transported to Kassala, Gedaref and River Nile states. A UNICEF-chartered plane carrying 1.4 million doses of oral cholera vaccines arrived in Port Sudan, Sudan, early this morning, to bolster efforts to protect children from the ongoing cholera outbreak affecting the country. Since the current outbreak began in July 2024, over 18,000 cases of cholera and approximately 550 deaths have been reported in 10 states across the country. The new batch of vaccines adds to the 404,000 doses UNICEF delivered to Sudan last month and will be used in the ongoing immunization campaigns. The campaigns aim to vaccinate 1.81 million people against cholera in the hardest-hit states: Gedaref, Kassala and River Nile. Besides cholera, concurrent outbreaks of other diseases – such as dengue, malaria and measles – are taking hold in at least 12 of Sudan’s 18 states. Earlier this week, UNICEF delivered nearly 190,000 doses of malaria vaccines to the country to help protect children from malaria. “Coming on the heels of war, displacement and famine, the impact of these epidemics could be catastrophic for children,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Sudan. “Delivery of the vaccines to health authorities in Sudan and into the arms of communities most at risk is essential for stopping the spread of these deadly diseases.” Ongoing disease outbreaks are pushing Sudan’s already fragile healthcare system to a breaking point and exacerbating weaknesses in the sanitation and hygiene infrastructure. Limited access to safe water and adequate sanitation, especially in overcrowded displacement sites and camps increases the risk of transmission. Children who have never been vaccinated and those suffering from malnutrition are particularly at risk. “We need all hands on deck now to scale up our response,

1.4 million cholera vaccines land in Port Sudan

07/10/2024 10:14

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