Lying on a hospital bed, Aisha Mohammed said she is “suffering” from cholera symptoms, an increasingly common ailment in Sudan where a prolonged war has ravaged the healthcare system. Cholera, caused by contaminated water or food, had been common in Sudan particularly during the rainy season even before war broke out in April 2023 between rival generals. But more than 16 months of fighting have forced most hospitals out of service, leaving the country of 48 million people struggling to control the sometimes deadly but treatable disease. In the southeastern Sudanese town of Wad al-Hulaywah, 40-year-old Mohammed receives intravenous medicine to ease her crippling symptoms. “I’m suffering from acute diarrhoea,” she whispered. Sudanese authorities and the United Nations have reported a surge in cholera cases amid several weeks of torrential rains that have battered parts of Sudan and displaced thousands. Rains and floods have contributed to a resurgence of the largely waterborne disease, which can cause severe dehydration and lead to death within hours if not treated. The health ministry on Monday declared an epidemic, later reporting 556 cholera cases including 27 deaths, most in Kassala state where Wad al-Hulaywah is located. Nearby Gedaref state has also been hit particularly hard, the ministry said.