12 June 2025, Port Sudan, Sudan – A 10-day reactive oral cholera vaccination campaign, launched on 10 June in 5 localities in Sudan’s Khartoum State, aims to protect more than 2.6 million people aged 1 year and above from cholera infection, interrupt transmission and help contain the cholera outbreak. Since May 2025 there has been a rapid increase in cholera cases in Khartoum State, with over 16 000 cumulative cases and 239 deaths reported across the State’s 7 localities.
A conflict hotspot since April 2023, Khartoum State is facing an infrastructure breakdown and severe access constraints. The cholera outbreak has been fueled by poor water, sanitation and hygiene, caused by a shortage of safe water following attacks on major power plants and water sources, and compounded by displacement and the breakdown of the health system.
“I have seen first-hand the devastation caused by the cholera outbreak in Khartoum, where the health system has been devastated by conflict and is struggling to cope with the tremendous demand on health facilities,” said World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Sudan Dr Shible Sahbani. “The vaccines will help stop cholera in its tracks as we strengthen other response interventions.”
The vaccination campaign will be conducted in 5 of Khartoum’s worst affected localities, Jebel Awalia, Sharg Elneel, Omdurman, Karrari and Umbada, via mobile and fixed vaccination sites. WHO supported the Federal and State Ministries of Health in microplanning the campaign, and together with other partners will continue to provide technical advice, oversight and logistical support throughout the campaign.
“We thank WHO and UNICEF for their strong support for the launch of the cholera vaccination campaign in Khartoum which will help tip the balance in our fight against this scourge which is affecting the most vulnerable among our population,” said Sudan’s Federal Minister of Health H.E. Dr Heitham Awadalla.
The current cholera outbreak started in July 2024 and has spread to 92 localities across 13 of Sudan’s 18 states, infecting 74 000 people and leading to 1826 deaths. The 2-year war, which has led to a breakdown in the health system, including surveillance, mass displacement and lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene, has contributed to the spread of the outbreak.
Cross-border population movements heighten the risk of cholera spreading to neighbouring countries, making cross-border collaboration in response efforts essential.
Cholera, an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, is a global threat to public health and major indicator of inequity and lack of social development.
Together with other response measures, including case management, water, sanitation and hygiene, surveillance and risk communication and community engagement, the administration of oral cholera vaccines has been proven to interrupt transmission and contain outbreaks.
Despite access and security challenges posed by the war in Sudan, WHO is committed to staying and delivering to protect Sudan’s most vulnerable people.
