UN ramps up cholera response in Sudan as insecurity threatens displaced communities

The United Nations and its humanitarian partners continue to support cholera response in Sudan and provide critical assistance to people in need despite insecurity, UN humanitarians have said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Wednesday (local time) said that, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), health authorities on Tuesday launched a 10-day cholera vaccination campaign in Tawila, North Darfur state, aiming to protect 95,000 displaced people.

According to the WHO, the cholera outbreak in Sudan, declared in June, has resulted in nearly 2,900 reported cases and 247 associated deaths in six states, Xinhua news agency reports.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its partners recently provided emergency shelter and essential household items to 12,000 people across Tawila, Al Lait and Um Hajaleej localities, OCHA also said in its daily news update.

About 1,300 people in North Darfur last week fled increased insecurity in villages in Um Baru locality, close to the Sudan-Chad border. They reportedly sought safety elsewhere in the state and across the border in Chad, the update said, citing IOM.

In South Darfur state, three drone strikes on Tuesday reportedly hit locations in Nyala City, while in Blue Nile state, increased insecurity on Monday displaced more than 3,300 people from several villages in the Geisan area, next to the Sudan-Ethiopia border, according to IOM.

OCHA said that intercommunal tensions are rising in parts of South and Central Darfur states, where several deadly incidents have been reported in recent days.

"Once again, OCHA calls on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to facilitate rapid, safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access," the office said.

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