Sudan’s Sennar reports increase in cholera cases

At least five people died from cholera in Sennar last week, the state Ministry of Health reported yesterday. Of the 140 patients being treated in January, 129 fully recovered, six are still being treated in isolation centres. Last year, more than 8,000 suspected cholera cases, including 224 deaths, were recorded.

Mawahib El Amin, director of Emergency Management and Epidemic Response Department of the Sennar Ministry of Health, said in a press conference in the state capital of Singa yesterday that the state health emergency team is currently examining cases and training cadres on the treatment protocol.

Teams of the Epidemic Response Department and other Health Ministry units have also carried out urgent interventions in the area of Rayat in Singa, she said, and noted the important role of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the follow-up of the disease.

The WHO representative in Sudan, Mohamed Ibrahim, confirmed that they will continue their partnership with the Sennar Health Ministry, especially during the current emergency situation.

Outbreak

With the continuation of the war that broke out between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on April 15 last year, diseases began spreading in several parts of the country.

In August, Save the Children warned of a cholera outbreak in Khartoum. The international organisation expressed its concerns that because of the absence of a functioning public health laboratory, “through which a cholera outbreak would normally be reported”, it will be difficult to assess the state of the crisis.

Cholera cases were also reported in eastern Sudan. On September 26, the Sudanese government officially declared a cholera outbreak in El Gedaref.

In November 2.2 million cholera and 7.5 million measles-rubella vaccines were airlifted to Port Sudan for distribution across the country.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan reported in the end of last year that cholera had spread to 46 localities in nine states as of December 23.

At least 8,267 suspected cholera cases, including 224 associated deaths, had been reported so far. More than 2.2 million people (98 per cent of the target) were vaccinated against cholera in El Gedaref and El Gezira.

The New Yor-based International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) noted earlier this month that the number of suspected cholera cases exceeded 8,500 in December, registering a 94 per cent increase over the past month.