UNICEF delivers more lifesaving cholera vaccines to Sudan as deadly outbreak spreads

PORT SUDAN, 24 June 2025 – UNICEF delivered over 3 million doses of lifesaving oral cholera vaccines to Sudan this week. These vaccines will be transported to the Omdurman, Karrari and Ombada localities hardest hit by the ongoing cholera outbreak in Khartoum State. UNICEF, together with WHO and national and local health authorities is targeting those most at risk in a vaccination campaign that will begin by the end of June.

Since January 2025, more than 29,000 cases and over 600 deaths have been reported in 15 states across Sudan. Darfur, Khartoum, Kordofan, Northern and River Nile States have been severely affected by the outbreak. An estimated 33.5 million people, including 5.7 million children under the age of five, are at heightened risk of the deadly disease in Sudan.

In the conflict-ridden country, relentless attacks on power and water infrastructure have cut off millions of people from safe and clean water and forced many families to collect water from unsafe and contaminated sources. Poor water quality leads to more waterborne diseases, and the risk of transmission is particularly high in overcrowded areas and displacement sites where access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and basic healthcare is very limited.

“Children are particularly vulnerable to this deadly disease, and we must make every effort to keep them safe. These vaccines are an invaluable tool in fighting the cholera outbreak, completing the broader response. Together with the efforts to improve water quality and hygiene, case management and treatment, they can save lives,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative for Sudan.

UNICEF delivered over 9.2 million doses of oral cholera vaccines in 2024 and an additional 7.6 million doses in the first half of this year to curb the outbreak across Sudan.

This year, UNICEF has, in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation, and with support of Gavi, the vaccine alliance, delivered more than 3 million doses to Khartoum and North Kordofan States.  Vaccination campaigns, targeting 2.6 million people across five localities, have been launched in Khartoum State. With the new batch of vaccines, the coverage of the immunization drives will be expanded.

In addition to vaccines, and as part of its multipronged response, UNICEF has supported the delivery of lifesaving health services in over 700 primary healthcare centres. This support includes the establishment of oral rehydration points and cholera treatment centres in high-risk areas. UNICEF has provided more than 2.5 million people access to safe water through water trucking, chlorination, and support to the operation and maintenance of water treatment plants. It has reached over 2 million people with hygiene promotion activities and enhanced community involvement and health education in the affected areas.

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Notes for editors 
Since the beginning of the cholera outbreak, officially declared on 12 August 2024, nearly 80,000 cases and over 1,800 deaths have been reported across 15 of 18 states in Sudan.

On 18 June, the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision approved an additional shipment of nearly 1.1 million doses of the vaccines to be delivered to Sennar and South Darfur States. These vaccines are scheduled to arrive in country by the end of June 2025.

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