More than 500 children are among the 2,700 cholera cases, that have been reported in Sudan’s White Nile State between 1 January and 24 February 2025, according to health authorities. The outbreak has already killed at least 65 people including ten children. In response, UNICEF, together with the Federal Ministry of Health and humanitarian partners, is scaling up a multisectoral response to prevent further spread of the disease and protect vulnerable children.
A major power outage, following attacks on power plants on 16 February, disrupted the water supply in the localities of Kosti and Rabak in the White Nile State, forcing many families to collect untreated water from the White Nile River.
Lack of, or limited access to, safe and clean water combined with significant declines in vaccination rates are further exacerbating the situation and increasing the risk of cholera, especially in overcrowded displacement sites and camps in urban centres. The White Nile State hosts approximately 650,000 internally displaced people in addition to 400,000 refugees. Population movements across at the border with South Sudan add additional challenges to controlling the outbreak.
Cholera is a deadly threat to children and can be fatal within hours if not promptly treated.
“The continued destruction of critical humanitarian infrastructure has left no child safe in this war” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Sudan If children are denied access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation services, as well as information on preventing the spread of cholera, the outbreak will unfortunately continue.”
In Kosti, where an estimated 292,000 children are potentially at risk, UNICEF has provided fuel and water treatment chemicals to support the operation of the primary water treatment plant, securing access to safe drinking water for approximately 150,000 people. In the affected localities, UNICEF and partners are also delivering lifesaving water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies to provide access to clean water, enhance good practices and UNICEF is engaging communities, through dialogues and social media, to disseminate key messaging on the causes, symptoms, and prevention of cholera.
On 21 February, the Sudanese Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF launched a six-day cholera vaccination campaign in the localities of Kosti and Rabak in White Nile. The campaign aims to reach over 1 million people with oral cholera vaccines. UNICEF has supplied cholera treatment kits and is supporting deployment of frontline workers to Cholera Treatment Centres to bolster treatment. UNICEF is also supporting the training of public health officers in infection prevention control and of community members to monitor the situation on the ground.
“Disease outbreaks, such as this surge of cholera, can push the already fragile healthcare system and weakened sanitation and hygiene infrastructure to their breaking point. While we invest in responding to this emergency now, we must invest in strengthening the systems underpinning the services children need,” said Yett.
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