CHOLERA, DIARRHEA & DYSENTERY UPDATE (32): ETHIOPIA, ex SOUTH SUDAN,
REFUGEES, ALERT, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
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A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.orgDate: Thu 3 Apr 2025
Source: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors Without Borders
[abridged, edited] https://www.doctorswithoutborders.ca/south-sudan-ethiopia-cholera-spreads-across-border-people-flee-ongoing-violence/South Sudan has been grappling with cholera outbreaks across various
parts of the country since last year [2024]. The latest wave is now
spreading from Upper Nile state into neighbouring Jonglei state, in
the Greater Pibor Administrative Area and across the border into
Ethiopia’s Gambella region.In Upper Nile state, MSF is treating those wounded in the violence and
supporting cholera treatment facilities in Ulang, Malakal and Renk
counties. In Jonglei state, MSF is responding in Lankien as well as in
Akobo, where a 100-bed cholera treatment unit set up by MSF in Akobo
county hospital has treated over 300 patients in just over 2 weeks.
MSF is also responding in Pibor town in the Greater Pibor
Administrative area. Since the beginning of March [2025], MSF teams
have treated over 1000 cholera patients across South Sudan and
received over 30 patients wounded in the violence.In Ethiopia’s Gambella region, MSF in collaboration with the Ministry
of Health has treated over 560 cholera patients since the start of the
response in early March [2025], in its cholera treatment centre and
units in Mattar, Moan and Burbeiye with a capacity of 100 beds.This crisis comes at a time when South Sudan and Ethiopia are facing
major reductions in donor funding, including the recent United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) cuts. While MSF does not
accept funding from the US government, the cuts in the humanitarian
and health assistance would severely reduce the capacity of other
organizations to respond to such crises.The healthcare system in South Sudan suffers from chronic
underfunding, shortages of skilled health staff, medicines and
supplies and has limited capacity to respond to emergencies. The
country, already struggling to meet its own medical and humanitarian
needs, is further burdened by the arrival of over one million people
fleeing war in neighbouring Sudan. Urgent support is needed to provide
safe water, implement widespread cholera vaccination campaigns and
reinforce treatment capacity for both cholera patients and trauma
cases.