CAIRO: Save the Children issued a grave warning on Tuesday, revealing that war-ravaged Sudan is facing an alarming risk of major disease outbreaks due to thousands of unburied corpses strewn across the streets and the near-collapse of the country’s health and sanitation infrastructure. The dire situation has raised concerns about potential cholera outbreaks as well.
The ongoing conflict between the forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has left Khartoum, the capital, littered with decomposing bodies, and the city’s morgues are overflowing after four months of intense fighting. The London-based charity highlighted the urgent need for intervention to prevent the outbreak of deadly diseases in the region.
Save the Children expressed deep concern about “the risk of major disease outbreaks in the city,” with cholera being a particular worry. Sudan has faced cholera outbreaks in recent years, and the current dire conditions have heightened the potential threat.
The combination of unattended corpses, severe water shortages, malfunctioning hygiene and sanitation services, and limited water treatment options has created a dangerous environment conducive to the spread of diseases like cholera. The city’s morgues lack refrigeration due to prolonged power shortages, causing bodies to decompose in the sweltering heat.
Impact of Sudan’s Conflict on Citizens
The ongoing conflict, which began on April 15, has severely restricted access to medical care, with many hospitals out of service. Victims and their families struggle to reach medical facilities, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
Save the Children emphasized the urgent need for a functioning public health laboratory to assess and address the potential cholera outbreak. Dr. Bashir Kamal Eldin Hamid, a medical professional with the organization, expressed concern about the added suffering faced by families in Khartoum due to the inability to provide dignified burials for the deceased.
Since the conflict erupted, at least 3,900 people have lost their lives nationwide, according to estimates by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. The situation has forced over four million people to flee their homes, as the UN refugee agency reported on Tuesday.
Amid bureaucratic hurdles, security challenges, and targeted attacks, aid groups struggle to deliver crucial assistance, leaving more than six million people on the brink of famine, according to the United Nations.
Khartoum continues to witness daily violence, with heavy artillery, airstrikes, and gunfire becoming a terrifying routine for civilians trapped in their homes. Recent clashes in central Khartoum and reports of civilian casualties indicate that the conflict shows no signs of abating, further worsening the dire humanitarian situation.
