UNICEF: 1m children at risk as cholera spreads across Sudan

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned yesterday that more than one million children in Sudan are at risk of cholera as the disease spreads across Khartoum State.

The UN agency said 7,700 cholera cases have been recorded in the Khartoum State since January, including more than 1,000 cases among children under the age of five; in addition to 185 associated deaths.

“The number of daily cases increased from 90 to 815 cases in just ten days, between May 15 and 25, a nearly ninefold increase,” it added in a statement.

UNICEF said its teams are working with partners, in coordination with the Sudanese Ministry of Health, to limit the spread of this deadly disease.

READ: Sudan reports over 170 deaths from cholera in 1 week

Separately, the UN organisation reported that Jebel Awliya and Khartoum governorates are at risk of famine, noting that 33 per cent of the 307,000 children who suffer from acute malnutrition across Sudan are present in those two localities.

“Some 26,500 of the malnourished children suffer from severe acute malnutrition, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition.”

It also noted that “more than 34,000 people have returned to Khartoum State since the beginning of 2025, most of them to damaged homes located in areas lacking basic services, most notably clean water and sanitation networks.”

Separately, UNICEF confirmed that repeated attacks on power plants in Khartoum State over the past month have caused widespread power outages, exacerbating the water shortage crisis and significantly impacting access to clean and safe water.

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