Cholera, Dengue Fever, Malaria Outbreak in Sudan

A crowd gathered in front of a medical laboratory to conduct a test for dengue fever, which is widespread in Gedaref State, eastern Sudan. (AFP)
A crowd gathered in front of a medical laboratory to conduct a test for dengue fever, which is widespread in Gedaref State, eastern Sudan. (AFP)
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Cholera, Dengue Fever, Malaria Outbreak in Sudan

A crowd gathered in front of a medical laboratory to conduct a test for dengue fever, which is widespread in Gedaref State, eastern Sudan. (AFP)
A crowd gathered in front of a medical laboratory to conduct a test for dengue fever, which is widespread in Gedaref State, eastern Sudan. (AFP)

Several states in Sudan have been witnessing an outbreak of dengue fever, malaria, and cholera after seventy percent of the health institutes went out of service due to the ongoing war.

The health ministry in Gedaref - the most damaged state - appealed to international organizations to provide support to eradicate dengue fever.

The cases of dengue fever, cholera, and malaria, especially in Gedaref, soared as the country faced a shortage of medicines and cadres.

Meanwhile, volunteers accused both warring parties in Khartoum of confiscating the medicines offered as aid.

Cholera has spread widely in the eastern Nile region (Khartoum Bahri), an area where many residents who have not left Khartoum still live.

Citizens from Gedaref told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that there is an outbreak of dengue fever and watery diarrhea.

Meanwhile, the ministry revealed that there are 250 watery diarrhea cases from which 15 died while there are more than 800 cases of dengue fever, and 10 of them died.

Director of the Health Emergency and Epidemic Control Department Anwar Banga announced the launching of the third campaign to eradicate dengue fever and watery diarrhea during the coming days and to radically end the pandemic.

However, he complained that there is insufficient funding whether from the government or humanitarian organizations.

Sudan Tribune newspaper quoted the spokesman for the East Nile Emergency Room in Khartoum, Moaz Shams El-Din, as saying that Alban Jaded Hospital received around 40 cholera cases in the period between 1-3 October and four of them died.

He criticized the army’s rejection of access to the medicines provided by the World Health Organization, noting that medicines were delivered to the Rapid Support Forces, highlighting the sharp shortage of medicines and medical cadres in the only operating hospital in the suburb of Hajj Youssef.

The cumulative report on dengue fever in Gezira showed about 82 cases of dengue fever between September 23-October 2, including 64 confirmed cases and two deaths, while about 62 patients were quarantined.

The Federal Minister of Health, Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, disclosed that the dengue fever epidemic is extending across eight states: Red Sea, Kassala, Gedaref, Al-Jazira, Sennar, North Kordofan, South Kordofan, and North Darfur.



Lebanon: Aoun Says Govt Formation Must Not Be Delayed by Sectarian Demands

This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (L) meeting with prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut on January 17, 2025. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (L) meeting with prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut on January 17, 2025. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
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Lebanon: Aoun Says Govt Formation Must Not Be Delayed by Sectarian Demands

This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (L) meeting with prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut on January 17, 2025. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the press office of the Lebanese presidency shows Lebanon's new President Joseph Aoun (L) meeting with prime minister-designate Nawaf Salam at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut on January 17, 2025. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)

Lebanon’s newly elected President Joseph Aoun said on Thursday that the formation of the government must not be delayed because of sectarian and political complexities, urging the parliamentary blocs to ease the formation process.
“We have just begun restoring the trust between the people and the state. We wish to form a new government that meets the aspirations of the people as quickly as possible”, said Aoun on Wednesday.
He added that extending bridges of trust with the Arab and Western worlds is attainable only if sincere intentions for the good of public interest are there.
Aoun emphasized that the swift formation of a new government gives a positive signal to the whole world, while obstructions and delaying the process because of narrow political and sectarian demands does the opposite.
Lawmakers from the Change Bloc, who had a major role in unifying the ranks of the opposition and garner support for naming Judge Nawaf Salam for the premiership, reject demands for sectarian and partisan quotas to ease the formation process.
They say that the mechanism to form a government should strictly adhere to competency.
Recent reports emerged lately that lawmakers of the Change Bloc want to have two or three ministerial seats in the new lineup, but the MPs themselves denied that.
“We don’t want a ministerial share, plus we reject the notion of quotas. We only take the share we want when we rebuild a country that we aspire for, and when competent and ethical ministers are appointed”, MP Paula Yacoubian of the Change Bloc told Asharq al-Awsat.
MP Firas Hamdan, also of the Change Bloc, reiterated what Yacoubian said. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Change lawmakers do not want ministerial portfolios or any share in the coming government.
He said the bloc refuses the formation of a government based on sectarian and political quotas, akin to old formation practices. “These have proven to be failed practices”, he said.
In order to swiftly form a government and garner confidence for Salam’s government, Hamdan said that the political blocs must bear responsibility in front of the people and the international community and ease the formation.
Director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs, Dr. Sami Nader, said in remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat that lawmakers of the Change Bloc had a major role in bringing Salam to his post.
“But the question is: will the new regime be one that will bring change, or will it replicate the former rule? If the next scenario is the case, then we can treat the Change Bloc as we treat any other party or political group that gets appeased with ministerial representation. This would be regretful because it would only mean that we went back to the system of quotas”, he stated.