The relief organization “Save the Children” has warned of the potential outbreak of diseases due to the proliferation of dead bodies on the streets of Khartoum, amidst the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces for the past 4 months.
A statement issued by London-based “Save the Children” reported that “thousands of corpses are decomposing on the streets of Khartoum,” pointing to the morgues’ incapacity to store these bodies and the adverse effects of the persistent power outages on refrigeration systems.
The organization cautioned that this could “expose families and children to an escalating risk of diseases.” The Sudanese Medical Syndicate was quoted by the organization as saying, “There are no medical staff left in the morgues, leaving the bodies exposed.”
The organization emphasized that “this horrifying combination of increasing numbers of corpses, acute water shortage, and breakdown of sanitation and sewage services… raises fears of a cholera epidemic in the city.”
On his part, the Director of Child Health and Nutrition at the organization, Basheer Kamal El-Din Hameed, stated, “The inability to bury the dead with dignity is another ordeal for the families… Alongside the sorrow and pain… we are witnessing an evolving health crisis.”
Previously, international relief organizations had warned that the rainy season in Sudan, which started in June, could lead to the spread of epidemics like measles and cholera, especially in the light of halted vaccination activities and medical facilities going out of service.
Even before the current conflict erupted, Sudan was one of the poorest countries globally. Humanitarian workers continuously, yet unsuccessfully, demand access to conflict areas, stating that authorities block aid from reaching customs and do not issue entry visas for relief teams.
