The lack of clean water in Akobo is fueling the spread of the disease, hitting women and young children the hardest
By Anak Dut
At least 45 cholera death cases were confirmed in Akobo County and 26,000 infections, Care South Sudan said Thursday.
Cecilia, a resident of Akobo, where cholera cases are surging, expressed her grave worries about the health of her 13-month-old daughter, Margaret.
“I am so scared because she keeps getting sick,” she said.
Margaret had previously been admitted to the hospital for malnutrition and recovered. Now, she is back again, this time battling cholera.
The lack of clean water in Akobo is fueling the spread of the disease, hitting women and young children the hardest.
Abel Whande, CARE South Sudan Country Director, said they are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe of poor and, in most cases, unavailability of appropriate sanitation infrastructure coupled with a near-collapsed health system.
He said this has created a catalytic environment for the spread of this deadly disease. “In some areas, only seven doctors are serving over 200,000 people. Only 20% of those who fall sick seek hospital treatment, while the overwhelming majority remain at home.”
“As a result, women and girls, as primary caregivers, are exposed to the disease while tending to sick family members. We are battling cholera while fighting for the survival of communities already devastated by hunger and economic hardship, leaving families unable to afford basic necessities or medical care,” Whande stated in a press statement.
The Country Director of CARE further stated that the staggering 27% of health facilities in the country are nonfunctional. Moreover, dwindling international financial support has left critical response efforts severely onderfunded, at less than 12%, leaving communities dangerously exposed to infection and the threat of death
Women and girls who face a heightened risk of infection, bearing the brunt of the outbreak due to their roles as primary caregivers and water collectors and currently account for more than half of cholera cases.
While those displaced in overcrowded camps are also enduring increased threats of violence, with poorly lit and unsafe sanitation facilities adding to their vulnerability, pregnant and breastfeeding women are especially at risk, as cholera can lead to life-threatening complications if left untreated.
He added that unsafe water sources, lack of proper sanitation, and widespread displacement have created the conditions that have allowed cholera to thrive.
“The outbreak has been further aggravated by severe flooding, which, in November 2024, displaced over 179.000 people, and destroyed critical sanitation facilities. With no access to clean water, many people have no choice but to use what is available for drinking and household needs.”
Meanwhile, some of the water sources have been contaminated, further fueling the spread of the disease.
“The cholera outbreak is escalating at an alarming rate, and without urgent funding, more lives will be lost,” said Whande.
“With severe flooding, ongoing conflict, and a fragile health system, communities now face the added threat of this rapidly spreading and deadly outbreak.”
The outbreak was first detected in September 2024 in a border town in Renk state, a major entry point for refugees fleeing conflict in Sudan. Since the conflict started in April 2023, over 1 million people have crossed into South Sudan.
Cases have spread rapidly, overwhelming a donor-dependent health system that is struggling to respond. With so many health facilities nonfunctional and health workers left unpaid for over 14 months, access to treatment is dangerously limited.