WHO warns of spread of cholera from Sudan to Chad refugee camps
The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Friday that cholera cases in Sudan are set to rise and could spread to neighbouring countries, including Chad, which hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees from Sudan's civil war in crowded conditions.
The more than two-year-old war between the Sudanese army — which took full control of Khartoum state this week — and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has spread hunger and disease and destroyed most health facilities. Drone attacks in recent weeks have interrupted electricity and water supplies in the capital Khartoum, driving up cases there.
"Our concern is that cholera is spreading," Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO representative for Sudan, told reporters in Geneva by video link from Port Sudan.
He said cholera has reached 13 states in Sudan, including North and South Darfur which border Chad, and 1,854 people have already died in the latest wave as the dangerous, rainy season sets in.
"We assume that if we don't invest in the prevention measures, in surveillance, in the early warning system, in vaccination and in educating the population, for sure, the neighbouring countries, but not only that, it can maybe spread to the sub-region," he said.
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WHO warns of spread of cholera from Sudan to Chad refugee camps
The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Friday that cholera cases in Sudan are set to rise and could spread to neighbouring countries, including Chad, which hosts hundreds of thousands of refugees from Sudan's civil war in crowded conditions. The more than two-year-old war between the Sudanese army — which took full control of Khartoum state this week — and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has spread hunger and disease and destroyed most health facilities. Drone attacks in recent weeks have interrupted electricity and water supplies in the capital Khartoum, driving up cases there. "Our concern is that cholera is spreading," Dr Shible Sahbani, WHO representative for Sudan, told reporters in Geneva by video link from Port Sudan. He said cholera has reached 13 states in Sudan, including North and South Darfur which border Chad, and 1,854 people have already died in the latest wave as the dangerous, rainy season sets in. "We assume that if we don't invest in the prevention measures, in surveillance, in the early warning system, in vaccination and in educating the population, for sure, the neighbouring countries, but not only that, it can maybe spread to the sub-region," he said.
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The right to informed consent Viruly described her role as a doula: 'to be a witness, but also a coach'. Describing her experience of working in public hospital maternity wards in the Western Cape, she highlights how many women have lost control over the birthing experience due to institutional protocols and lack of informed consent: 'Doctors often rattle off information and instructions to an expectant mother, and sometimes even gaslight her, making her doubt the realities of things that happen during the birthing process. The role of the doula is to say 'yes that did actually happen' and to translate instructions/information from doctors into mother-centric language that she can understand. ' As a 'witness', Viruly explained, the role of a doula is to validate a woman's birthing experience and help her to understand her options, the information and instructions given. 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This begs the question: are women free to make their own choices about how they give life, and if so, 'choice' under what circumstances? The fight for birth justice represents resistance: standing for informed choice, bodily autonomy, and maternal dignity in spaces where these are too often denied. The cultural roots of over-medicalisation Anthropologist Robbie E Davis-Floyd famously critiqued the 'technocratic model of birth' in American obstetrics in the 1980s, describing it as a cultural belief system that treats women's bodies as machines to be managed. Davis-Floyd (1987) notes that 'the hospital operates like an assembly line, with labour and delivery processes geared toward producing a perfect baby, often at the expense of the mother's experience'. Obstetrics, Davis-Floyd writes, is unlike other medical specialities, in that it does not deal with true pathology in most cases it treats (most pregnant women are not sick). 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Geography and economics often determine not only birth outcomes, but whether a woman has a say in how she gives life. DM The Zoe Project Based in Cape Town, this nonprofit organisation is dedicated to supporting vulnerable women, girls and babies through comprehensive maternal healthcare programmes. It provides: Doula/birth companions: Providing emotional and physical support during labour and delivery. Antenatal classes: Educating expectant mothers on pregnancy, childbirth and newborn care. Postnatal support: Assisting new mothers with breastfeeding, nutrition and emotional wellbeing. Bereavement doula services: Offering comfort and guidance to families experiencing pregnancy loss or stillbirth.
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Each year, tobacco use kills approximately 164 000 people in Pakistan, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In Pakistan's power corridors, a troubling trade-off is quietly unfolding—one where human lives are weighed against financial returns. Tobacco, despite its well-known links to disease and death, remains deeply embedded in the country's economy. Now, as death tolls rise and public hospitals overflow, the government faces a grim dilemma: protect public health or preserve a major source of national revenue. Each year, tobacco use kills approximately 164 000 people in Pakistan, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These aren't just statistics — they represent parents, workers, and teenagers lost to lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Tobacco-related illnesses have become a major part of the country's non-communicable disease burden, which is steadily increasing. Yet, tobacco products remain widely accessible, lightly regulated, and marketed in subtle ways—especially to the youth. While cigarette packs carry graphic health warnings and anti-smoking campaigns exist, these efforts are undermined by lax enforcement and powerful industry influence. This paradox—acknowledging tobacco's harms while benefiting from its profits — is not unique to Pakistan. The situation offers a cautionary tale for South Africa, where similar tensions exist. In 2023–24, Pakistan's tobacco industry contributed over 200 billion Pakistani rupees (roughly R13.5 billion) in taxes, according to the Federal Board of Revenue. This includes excise duties and sales tax, mostly from cigarettes. For an economy under pressure — facing budget deficits and IMF obligations — this income is difficult to ignore. However, this revenue comes at a steep cost. A 2021 study by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) found that tobacco-related illness and death cost the economy over 615 billion rupees annually — about R41 billion. In other words, for every rand (or rupee) gained from tobacco, three are lost managing its consequences. This economic burden is familiar to South Africans. Our tobacco-related healthcare costs are estimated in the billions annually, with thousands of deaths attributed to smoking. As in Pakistan, the presence of a strong tobacco lobby and a thriving illicit cigarette trade complicates reform. In both countries, lawmakers from tobacco-growing regions are reluctant to take action, often citing job losses and the risk of fuelling illegal trade. In Pakistan, illicit cigarettes are thought to make up over 30% of the market, though experts dispute the figure. South Africa, too, has struggled to control the spread of untaxed, unregulated cigarettes, especially during and after COVID-19 lockdowns. Pakistan's youth smoking rate is another red flag. Around 10% of schoolchildren aged 13–15 use tobacco products. Public health officials say this reflects a failure in education and regulation. The glamorisation of smoking, peer pressure, and the availability of single cigarettes all play a role, factors that South African schools and communities also grapple with. Meanwhile, newer nicotine products like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices are complicating efforts further. Marketed as 'safer' alternatives, these products are growing in popularity among urban youth in both Pakistan and South Africa. But experts warn that their long-term health effects remain uncertain and that they often serve as a gateway to traditional smoking. For now, Pakistan's healthcare system is straining under the pressure. Overcrowded oncology wards and under-resourced rural clinics are unable to cope with the long-term fallout of tobacco use. South Africa's public health system, already stretched by TB, HIV, and NCDs, could face a similar crisis if tobacco regulation remains inconsistent. Despite repeated calls from health advocates, bold political leadership on tobacco control remains absent in Pakistan. Public health often takes a backseat to short-term economic concerns — a reality that rings true in South Africa as well. As both nations face growing, youthful populations and rising urbanisation, the choices made today will determine future health outcomes. Pakistan's silent struggle with tobacco offers a clear warning: delaying action comes at a deadly price.
