South Sudan: International aid funding cuts leave children to die from cholera

As a political crisis brews in South Sudan, several children have died as they walked to receive treatment from cholera after funding cuts to international aid have forced local clinics to close, according to Save the Children.

By Devin Watkins

At least 8 people, including 5 children, died in South Sudan recently as they undertook a three-hour walk to find medical treatment for cholera at their nearest hospital.

Save the Children, a UK-based charity, released a statement on Wednesday detailing the effects of several countries making deep cuts to their international aid budgets.

The deceased children and their parents hailed from a remote area of Akobo County in the east of the country. They faced the long walk in 40-degree heat without access to clean water, shaded sun, or medicine.

South Sudan is facing a severe outbreak of cholera, an infection of the small intestine causing diarrhea that can lead to dehydration and death if untreated.

Unusually heavy rains and flooding since mid-February have led to a rise in cholera cases in Akobo County, of which 44 percent involve children under 17 years-old.

The flooding has also devastated crops, leading to “critical” levels of food insecurity and malnutrition.

South Sudan’s conflict and natural disasters have displaced around one-third of the country’s 12 million people, and the cholera outbreak declared in October 2024 has led to 22,000 cases as of March.

Save the Children reported that, up until this year, the victims would have had access to a network of 27 local clinics run by the charity that provided free, essential medical care for malnutrition and cholera.

Due to foreign aid cuts, the charity has been forced to close many of the healthcare facilities and reduce the services provided by others.

“There should be global moral outrage over decisions made by powerful people in other countries that have caused the death of children here within a matter of weeks,” according to Chris Nyamandi, South Sudan Country Director for Save the Children.

The charity’s local director said the children of South Sudan need peace and stability and that the organization hopes to adapt to the reduction in life-saving aid.

“We must prevent what has happened from happening again,” said Mr. Nyamandi.

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