In response to a fast spreading cholera outbreak, health officials in Sudan have kicked off a 10 day emergency vaccination campaign in Khartoum. The initiative aims to protect over 150,000 residents from the deadly diarrheal disease, which has surged due to ongoing conflict, mass displacement, and heavy rains.
Footage captured by the Associated Press shows healthcare workers administering vaccines to children and adults across the capital. Aziza Berima, a frontline health worker, confirmed the campaign began on Sunday and is targeting high risk communities.
Local residents, many of whom have recently returned home after being displaced by fighting, expressed relief. “We feared cholera in these chaotic conditions, but the vaccination campaign gave us hope,” said Montaser al-Sayed. Another resident, Razaz Abdullah, added, “As a mother, I was relieved.”
The outbreak has placed immense pressure on Sudan’s already fragile healthcare infrastructure. “It’s extremely hard to trace and contain the disease with the current state of the health system,” said Sophie Dresser, program director at Mercy Corps Sudan.
According to the United Nations, over 83,000 suspected cholera cases and 2,100 deaths have been reported since the outbreak was declared in July 2024. More than 32,000 of those cases were recorded just last month.
With the country’s health system in collapse and humanitarian access limited, officials remain on high alert to prevent further spread. The vaccination campaign is a critical step but experts warn that long-term solutions will require stability, infrastructure repair, and sustained international support.
