A cholera epidemic in Sudan’s West Kordofan State, which is becoming increasingly difficult owing to the lack of humanitarian access, insecurity, continued displacement, and poor access to clean water and sanitation, was reported by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in a June 22, 2026 briefing. As of June 16, there have been 700 cases of cholera along with 60 deaths linked to the outbreak in West Kordofan State, where, in addition to 100 new cases and 10 deaths from the beginning of the month. The outbreak comes at a time when Sudan’s Kordofan region, among others in Sudan, continues to witness an escalation in the number of drone strikes, which have caused considerable damage to critical infrastructure and even shut down some medical facilities.

The OCHA reported that violence in and around El Obeid, which is the capital city of North Kordofan State, is increasing, putting civilians at greater risk and interfering with vital services. On 18-21 June, there were drone attacks on a power substation and a fuel station in El Obeid, and attacks in other parts of North Kordofan State that have damaged bridges in humanitarian corridors. The Sudan Doctors Network, a local organization of doctors, reported that due to the attacks, a number of medical facilities, including the dialysis unit and the emergency rooms of medical facilities, were closed in El Obeid, in addition to water stations. There were also reports of drone attacks in North Darfur and White Nile states. A drone attack on a fuel station in Al Zariba market, Kosti, White Nile, killed at least one civilian and injured 15 civilians. Prior attacks killed eight civilians in Kadam locality of West Kordofan, and 10 more were killed in Um Dukhun locality of Central Darfur state, three of whom were children.

The case of West Kordofan shows how the costs of a protracted armed conflict continue to mount far from the field of battle. An illness that is, in ordinary times, entirely preventable and curable, is now spreading due to the breakdown in conditions conducive to the prevention of the illness, such as clean water, sanitation, health services, and humanitarian assistance being able to operate freely. This is due to three years of warfare that have undermined the capacity to maintain the kind of environment that prevents the spread of such an illness, including attacks on electricity substations, fuel depots, water systems, and health facilities. Protecting civilians and humanitarian actors and ensuring the secure access of humanitarian assistance are not separate issues; they are necessary preconditions for any public-health effort in West Kordofan.

The war with the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces of Sudan, commencing on April 15, 2023, has resulted in the creation of the worst humanitarian disaster globally. UNHCR reports that as of the beginning of 2026, there have been 9.1 million internally displaced individuals within Sudan, while 2.8 million have become refugees in other nations. As per UNICEF, Sudan is the largest global case of child displacement crisis involving more than five million children becoming homeless. The current outbreak in West Kordofan, initially reported as suspected acute watery diarrhea in the El Nuhud locality in May 2026, comes after the end of the national-scale cholera epidemic, confirmed in March 2026 and involving more than 124,000 cases and 3,500 fatalities. In light of the upcoming rainy season in the region, the United Nations has issued a warning about growing risks of cholera infection and other waterborne diseases due to flooding and contamination of water sources amid ongoing attacks against the infrastructure.

While the U.N. and humanitarian agencies have provided assistance in the form of treatments, medicine, and awareness programs for cholera in West Kordofan and set up cholera treatment centers in the region, the effort has been highly hampered due to a lack of access and a lack of medical supplies. Even at the mid-point of the year, the 2026 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which needs about $2.9 billion, has so far raised just 22% of the amount needed. OCHA has once again emphasized that all parties should honor their commitment to international humanitarian law and ensure civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected and that humanitarian access is facilitated quickly and safely. While the people of West Kordofan, North Kordofan, North Darfur, and White Nile deal with the triple threat of cholera, drone strikes, and decreasing humanitarian aid, what they get next depends on how well the international community responds to the deepening crisis.