At least five children and three adults died from cholera while seeking treatment in South Sudan after healthcare facilities, many funded by the United States, were forced to close due to aid cuts implemented by the Trump administration. This occurred during the country’s worst cholera outbreak in decades, as reported by Save the Children.
The victims, all from South Sudan’s east, perished on a grueling three-hour walk in scorching heat to reach the nearest operational health facility. The American aid cuts, effective in January as part of the Trump administration’s policies, led to the closure of seven out of 27 health facilities supported by Save the Children in Akobo County and the partial cessation of operations in 20 others. Consequently, some clinics are now operated solely by volunteers, lacking the resources to transport sick patients to hospitals.
Christopher Nyamandi, Save the Children’s country director for South Sudan, described the dire situation he witnessed at a health clinic in Akobo County that was providing nutrition assistance and cholera response support shortly after the cuts were announced. Tents designed to hold 25 people were crammed with hundreds, with individuals forced to sleep outside, exposing them to mosquitoes and extreme heat while recovering from cholera.
Cholera, caused by the ingestion of contaminated food or water, thrives in conditions of poor sanitation and overcrowding. The disease, which can lead to death through dehydration, is treatable with inexpensive medication.
South Sudan is experiencing its worst cholera outbreak in 20 years, with over 47,000 suspected and confirmed cases reported since September 2024, according to data from the World Health Organization. The United States allocated $760 million in aid to South Sudan in 2023, but the Trump administration’s cuts have exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in the country, which stands on the brink of war.
The Department of Government Efficiency, led by South Africa-born billionaire Elon Musk, has significantly reduced the capacity of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington’s primary distributor of foreign aid for decades. The State Department is set to take over USAID’s remaining responsibilities by mid-August. Neither USAID nor the State Department immediately responded to a request for comment.
South Sudan has relied heavily on foreign aid since its independence in 2011, and its people face the compounded threats of war, malnutrition, and now, the worsenning cholera situation due to the aid cuts. Mr. Nyamandi believes the actual number of cholera deaths is underreported and expects an increase with the reduction of aid support.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/11/world/africa/south-sudan-cholera-children-deaths.html
