Following the outbreak of civil war in Sudan in April 2023, the country has been engulfed in an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. The intense fighting has devastated water and sanitation infrastructure, strained an already fragile health system, and led to a surge in acute malnutrition. This has created ideal conditions for outbreaks of cholera.
Cholera, a diarrhoeal disease, is both preventable and treatable; however, in fragile contexts such as Sudan, it can become deadly, with children and the elderly being particularly vulnerable. Moreover, cholera and malnutrition are interconnected, each exacerbating the likelihood of the other, and their combined presence significantly heightens the risk of death.
In April 2025, the Novo Nordisk Foundation released an acute humanitarian grant to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to support their life-saving cholera response in eastern Sudan. IRC is focusing on direct cholera prevention and treatment, providing essential supplies to cholera treatment centres and establishing access to safe water and handwashing facilities. WFP is prioritising food and nutrition initiatives in areas severely affected by cholera and malnutrition.
The grant was issued ahead of the rainy season in Sudan, a period when flooding is likely to exacerbate cholera outbreaks if left unmanaged. Through the efforts of the IRC and WFP, this grant will deliver life-saving assistance to individuals infected with cholera and help contain further outbreaks.
To learn more about Novo Nordisk Foundation’s acute humanitarian grant modality, please visit our dedicated site.
