Cholera hits hard among displaced people in War-Torn Sudan’s tawila

Tuesday 12 August 2025 - 12:00

In the war-torn region of Tawila, western Sudan, a cholera outbreak is devastating displaced communities, deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of thousands are deprived of clean water, hygiene, and adequate medical care. The fear of contamination is palpable in everyday life, from water to clothing and cooking utensils.

Mona Ibrahim, who has lived in a hastily set-up camp in Tawila for two months, says, "We mix lemon in the water (...) and drink it as a remedy because we have no alternative." Tawila, nestled between the Marra mountains and agricultural lands, now hosts nearly half a million displaced people, according to the UN.

The outbreak began in early June in the village of Tabit and quickly spread, with over 1,500 patients treated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) last month alone. UNICEF reports that about 300 children have been infected since April, with more than 640,000 children under five now at risk in North Darfur state. As of July 30, over 2,140 infections and at least 80 deaths have been recorded in the Darfur region.

Cholera, a severe diarrheal disease spread through contaminated water and food, can kill within hours without treatment. While rehydration therapy can save lives, access to clean water and healthcare remains extremely limited.

UNICEF's Tawila director Ibrahim Adam Mohamed Abdallah emphasizes hygiene awareness, encouraging handwashing with soap and drinking clean water. However, in makeshift shelters with no soap or toilets, these measures are difficult to follow. Many fetch water from often contaminated natural sources or from one of the few remaining functional wells.

MSF has established treatment centers in Tawila and Daba Nyra, but both are overwhelmed. Fighting hinders humanitarian aid delivery, with armed groups blocking access, while the rainy season threatens to worsen outbreaks due to flooding.

Since July 2024, Sudan has reported around 100,000 cholera cases nationwide, with more than 2,400 deaths in 17 of 18 states, according to the World Health Organization.