Africa Insight
Cover - Al Taif Khartoum Sudan - panoramio

Society - 8 August 2026

Cholera And Dengue Risks Rise In War-Damaged Khartoum

By Sarah Ndaya2 min read

Khartoum, August 8, 2026 - Sudanese doctors warned of a renewed cholera and dengue fever threat in Khartoum, citing fighting, contaminated water, waste accumulation and the collapse of basic sanitation across the capital. The doctors' union said 25 new cholera cases had been documented, including cases in West Omdurman, the Southern Belt and East Nile, with additional suspected cases in Al-Ezba in Khartoum Bahri.

Health professionals urged immediate isolation of affected areas, improved sanitation and faster delivery of medical supplies. Khartoum State health authorities gave a more cautious assessment, saying malaria cases had declined over the past week and that essential and life-saving medicine availability ranged from 77% to 90%.

Officials acknowledged shortages of some intravenous fluids while saying they were working to rebuild reserves. The outbreak risk is economically and politically significant because disease spread in the capital would further weaken an already strained public health system, undermine any return of administrative services and increase humanitarian needs in Sudan's largest urban center.

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