Warnings of Disease Outbreak and Cholera Spread Due to Decomposing Bodies in Khartoum Streets

Moatinoon

A prominent international non-governmental organization issued a warning on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, about the danger of disease outbreaks, especially cholera, due to the decomposition of dead bodies in the streets of Khartoum, torn apart by the ongoing war between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. The organization called on the fighting parties to cease hostilities and find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

The organization Save the Children stated that thousands of bodies are decomposing in the streets of Khartoum, with mortuaries nearing collapse due to power outages and the inability to store bodies. This exposes families and children to an increasing risk of disease.

In a statement, the organization added that the prolonged electricity shortage has left city mortuaries without cooling, causing bodies to decompose in the heat, which poses a risk of disease spread in the city.

The organization quoted the Sudanese Doctors Union as saying, There is no medical staff left in the mortuaries, and the bodies are left exposed.

Bashir Kamal Al-Din Hamid, the Director of Health and Child Nutrition at the organization, stated according to the statement, that the inability to bury the dead with dignity represents another hardship for families.

He added, In addition to grief and sorrow, we are witnessing a health crisis in the making.

He explained that the healthcare system in Sudan is hanging by a thin thread. With the increasing infections, hospitals close their doors and face shortages of medicines and doctors, and the remaining supplies are looted. The hospitals that remain open are operating beyond their capacity and are almost non-functional due to staff exhaustion and supply shortages.

Currently, the organization Save the Children supports nearly 100 health and nutrition facilities across Sudan, including eight mobile clinics. Since the escalation of the conflict, the organization has imported around 37 tons of emergency medical supplies and medicines and conducted a large-scale vaccination campaign for children to protect them from diseases like cholera, polio, and measles.