IsraAID, a non-governmental Israel-based humanitarian aid organization, will be working with South Sudan authorities to help rein in the latest cholera outbreak.

Since the outbreak began on October 28, over 6,000 cases and approximately 60 deaths have been recorded nationwide. The crisis comes amid an influx of over 60,000 refugees due to the ongoing civil conflict in Sudan.

Cholera is a bacterial disease that is spread through contaminated water and food. It is highly treatable, but without timely intervention, the disease can lead to severe dehydration and death.

IsraelAID said it will be working with South Sudan’s Health Ministry and local leadership on the ground in Juba, the country’s capital, where the majority of the refugee camps are located.

The underdeveloped infrastructure, lack of access to clean water, inadequate sanitation facilities, and overcrowded living conditions in the camps have all contributed to the rapid spread of the illness.

The organization’s team will promote community awareness, distribute essential hygiene and sanitation items, support sanitation infrastructure, and establish stations for prevention and early treatment of symptoms.

IsraAID will also operate oral rehydration points, supplying safe drinking water and oral rehydration salts to the local population to prevent and treat early symptoms of cholera. To ensure that changes are long-lasting and sustainable, IsraAID will train community members, outreach workers, and local water committees on how to continue running these projects.

Sita Cacioppe, director of IsraAID’s technical unit, said the operation is “a unique opportunity to bring together our teams from across the region, drawing on all we learned during 2023’s cholera outbreak in Malawi. IsraAID is ready to leverage our expertise in health, water, sanitation, and hygiene to support refugees and returnees in South Sudan.”

Meanwhile, the organization is also launching an emergency response following a 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the South Pacific Ocean country of Vanuatu last week. The tremor destroyed residential homes and infrastructure that housed over 300,000 people. One death has been reported so far.

IsraAID’s emergency response team will assess humanitarian needs, distribute urgently needed aid items, provide emergency mental health support, and support recovery of community water and sanitation infrastructure.

Founded in 2001, IsraAID has brought emergency and long-term assistance to more than 60 countries.

In 2024, IsraAID established a strategic office in Australia, reflecting the organization’s commitment and deepening ties in the Pacific region.

Additionally, IsraAID will be providing urgent relief to communities in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. The East African country last week was struck by Cyclone Chido, which killed at least 94, and left some 190,000 people in need of urgent aid.

IsraAID, with the help from local authorities, will distribute urgent relief items, including hygiene kits that are essential for maintaining basic sanitation in an emergency. The organization will also help in providing access to sanitation facilities, and repairing or reconstructing damaged infrastructure.