Khartoum (EFE). – The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported Tuesday the detection of more than 1,300 cholera infections in the last week in North Darfur, western Sudan, amid a shortage of medical resources.
The cases were reported in the Tawila area, home to tens of thousands of people who fled attacks on the Zamzam camp for displaced people near the capital city of North Darfur, Al Fasher, in mid-April.
According to the statement, local and international partners set up cholera treatment centers, but “the current capacity is far from sufficient to cope with the rising caseload.”
Therefore, OCHA warned of the need for health centers, mobile health facilities, ambulances, and waste management equipment.
Many of these infections occurred after the affected people returned to their villages.
Given the scarcity of resources, they were forced to rely on exposed, contaminated water ponds, as there were no other sources.
These circumstances increase the risk of contracting waterborne diseases. Following an assessment mission with its humanitarian partners in the field, OCHA warned of the serious challenges faced by displaced people.
Since November, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reported that more than 1.3 million people have returned to their areas of origin.
On July 15, Sudan reported 13 cholera-related deaths and 674 new cases in one week, bringing the total number of infections to 87,762 and the total number of deaths to 2,264 in 111 localities across 17 states, according to data from the Sudanese Ministry of Health.
The health situation is worsening in a country that has been experiencing a war since April 15, 2023, which has caused tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of about 13 million people, resulting in the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet. EFE
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