Source: World Vision
1,500 deaths already reported – Number of deaths projected to rise due to extreme food shortages caused by funding cuts, which have stripped away essential services
Millions of vulnerable children at risk as the outbreak accelerates at an alarming rate
World Vision has launched an urgent fundraising appeal to raise US $500,000 to scale up response efforts
More than 40,000 children—half under five—are now affected by a deadly cholera outbreak sweeping across South Sudan, with more than 88,000 cases and 1,500 deaths already reported.
The outbreak is accelerating dangerously, placing millions more at risk – especially in overcrowded camps and flood-hit communities where clean water and healthcare are scarce.
World Vision is on the ground responding, but urgent support is needed. Malnourished children are dying from preventable causes—trapped in a deadly mix of disease, hunger, and displacement. In the hardest-hit areas, conditions are deteriorating rapidly, and the threat is rising daily.
“This is an extremely dangerous situation for children,” says TJ Grant, Acting National Director, World Vision New Zealand. “Cholera is taking children’s lives. They are weakened by hunger, vulnerable to infection, and dying without access to clean water or basic medical care, something no child should have to experience.’
The cholera outbreak, which began in late 2024, has intensified with the rainy season and now affects 55 of South Sudan’s 79 counties, with the worst-hit areas including Central Equatoria, Upper Nile, Warrap, Jonglei, and Unity states. Although the Government of South Sudan has not officially declared a national emergency, humanitarian access remains challenging in several areas of the country.
Children in overcrowded camps, informal settlements, and flood-hit areas face the greatest risk. In March, UNICEF reported that one in three deaths were children under 14. In conflict zones like Aweil, Renk, Ulang, and Nasir, poor access and weak surveillance likely mean the crisis is even worse than reported.
A communiqué issued by the Extraordinary Inter-Ministerial Meeting on Cholera warns that the situation is reaching a critical stage. “This is not merely a public health crisis, but a multi-sectoral emergency, exacerbated by flooding, displacement, and limited access to basic services,” the statement noted.
Amid soaring needs and funding cuts, World Vision is urgently appealing for US $500,000 to launch a six-month emergency response, which will enable them to deliver clean water, healthcare, food, and protection to 500,000 people.
Grant says, “We urgently call on donors, governments, and partners to act now— before more innocent children’s lives are tragically lost. Every donation is a lifeline, protecting South Sudan’s most vulnerable and bringing hope to those who need it most.”
To donate, visit www.wvnz.org.nz/CHR