Save the Children International Nigeria has reported alarming death rates from cholera outbreaks in Sudan and Nigeria, with figures now nearly three times the global average.
In a statement, the organisation emphasised that ongoing conflict and severe flooding were severely hindering access to essential medical care, placing thousands of children at increased risk.
Recent statistics from Sudan indicate a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 3.1 deaths per 100 confirmed cholera cases, significantly exceeding the international benchmark of 1%. Nigeria mirrors this troubling trend, with a fatality rate of 2.9%.
The crisis is exacerbated by unprecedented flooding affecting 16 countries across West, Central, and East Africa, impacting over 4.4 million individuals in West and Central Africa, and more than 2 million in Eastern Africa due to the effects of climate change.
The combination of flooding, contaminated water, and inadequate sanitation has led to a sharp rise in cholera cases—an illness treatable with timely medical interventions that remain inaccessible for many in Sudan and Nigeria. Children under five are particularly vulnerable, representing a disproportionate share of cases and fatalities.
In Sudan, from July 22 to September 29, over 17,600 cholera cases and 546 related deaths were reported across 60 localities in 10 states. Prolonged violence has rendered 80% of hospitals nonfunctional, further complicating the challenges posed by flooding and water contamination.
Save the Children noted a concerning increase in cases among young children, with those under five accounting for 15% of confirmed cases and deaths.
Nigeria is facing a similar crisis, with massive flooding displacing communities in 29 of the country’s 36 states, primarily in the north. As of October 1, more than 450 cholera cases and 32 deaths had been recorded, with children constituting 37% of the cases. The situation is expected to worsen as heavy rains continue in northern Nigeria.
Interim Country Director for Save the Children in Sudan, Mohamed Abdiladif remarked, “A lack of vital medicines, combined with hunger and malnutrition, is putting millions of children at risk of diseases and possible death. Our health teams across the country report that most child cholera deaths stem from complications related to weakened immune systems due to malnutrition.”
In Nigeria, Duncan Harvey, Country Director for Save the Children, emphasized the preventability of cholera outbreaks through improved infrastructure and hygiene practices.
He stated, “The flooding in Nigeria is worsening conditions for the most vulnerable, especially children in the northeast. The situation is making food and clean water scarce, and malnutrition and disease are already widespread.”
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