Malakal, South Sudan – December 4, 2024: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Holland has reported a sharp increase in cholera cases in Upper Nile State. The outbreak, which began with the first suspected case on November 5, has overwhelmed the already limited healthcare response. By December 3, a total of 737 cases were reported in Malakal, with MSF treating 646 patients, accounting for over 87% of all cases.
“The situation in Malakal is critical, and we are deeply concerned about the outbreak spreading to neighboring areas such as Tonga and Kodok,” said Zakaria Mwatia, MSF’s Head of Mission in South Sudan.
MSF has established a 100-bed cholera treatment center (CTC) in Assosa and continues to deliver life-saving medical care. However, gaps in oral rehydration points (ORPs) and inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure are hampering efforts to control the outbreak.
Call for Urgent Action
“We urgently call for immediate and substantial scaling up of activities to contain this outbreak and prevent further suffering,” Mwatia emphasized. “The arrival of vaccines is a positive step, but a swift and coordinated rollout is essential in Malakal and other affected areas.”
Outbreak Overview
The cholera outbreak was first declared by South Sudan’s National Ministry of Health on October 28, 2024, in Renk, Upper Nile State. It has since spread to Malakal, Bentiu (Unity State), Aweil (Northern Bahr el Ghazal), and even the capital, Juba. Inadequate living conditions for refugees and returnees in Renk County have significantly contributed to the disease’s spread.
MSF’s Response and Appeal
MSF Holland is actively responding to the outbreak across multiple regions, including Renk, Bentiu, Aweil, and Juba. The organization is calling on the government of South Sudan, UN agencies, and humanitarian organizations to:
MSF Holland provides healthcare services to people affected by violence, displacement, disease outbreaks, and natural disasters in South Sudan. The organization remains at the forefront of responding to the ongoing cholera crisis, striving to save lives and mitigate suffering in the country.
