South Sudan News

Since the start of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Sudan, the Ministry of Health through its call centre, interactions with community resource persons, the media, and other informal sources have been receiving reports of unexplained deaths in communities.

To address the anecdotal reports of increasing mysterious community deaths that are currently not well investigated amidst concerns of safety during burial as raised by the general public, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO and partners set up a COVID-19 mortality surveillance team.

Over 100 health workers have been trained in the last three weeks with the aim to rapidly increase trained healthcare workers in response to COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

With support from World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners the Ministry of Health has trained health workers on COVID-19 case management and infection prevention and control (IPC). Participants are equipped with knowledge and skills on patient screening, isolation, contact tracing, use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and waste management.

Juba, 16 May 2020 – To provide supportive treatment for severe and critical COVID-19 patients, the World Health Organization (WHO), working with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Medical Corps (IMC) has supported the Ministry of Health to upgrade and equip the Dr John Garang Infectious Diseases Unit (IDU).

On a cold Tuesday night, at about 12:00 am, in Malek village, Ms Rebecca Akeer, 26 years old gave birth to a bouncing baby boy in her house in the absence of a skilled birth attendant in February 2020. Malek is located about 41 km north from Rumbek, the state capital in Lakes State.

It happened hours after a nearby Malek Primary Health Care Unit (PHCU) was closed following inter-communal fight which left medical supplies destroyed and health workers were forced to leave their homes due to ensuing conflict.

Juba, 27 April 2020 – Dr Olushayo Olu, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for South Sudan paid a courtesy call on Honorable Elizabeth Acuei Yol, Minister of Health.

During the call, Dr Olu congratulated the Honorable Minister on her appointment and conveyed the Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and the Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti greetings.

Dr Olu and the Honorable Minister of Health, both renewed their commitment to support the health sector in South Sudan.

Juba – The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with South Sudanese health authorities to expand capacity and infrastructure at the Infectious Disease Unit in the capital Juba to help enhance the country’s emergency response to COVID-19.

Juba, 22 April 2020 - In an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the country, WHO in support of the Ministry of Health prepositioned COVID-19 supplies as part of the national COVID-19 preparedness and response plan to twenty different locations including Juba to collect samples, package and transport for testing in Juba.

Juba, 21 April 2020 - COVID-19 cases have been reported in 52 African countries; many having wide-spread community transmission. 

Given the high risk of spread of COVID-19 in South Sudan, expanding the Dr John Garang Infectious Diseases Unit (IDU) is one of the key activities which will help protect South Sudanese citizens and residents.

As coronavirus disease (COVID-19)  spreads rapidly across Africa, the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners have taken the necessary steps to mitigate the risk and interrupt the transmission of COVID-19.  

South Sudan confirmed its first COVID-19 case on 5 April 2020. As of 10 April 2020, four cases of COVID-19 have been reported. The country continues to face a huge burden of communicable disease outbreaks. 

Juba, 05 April 2020 - The Ministry of Health of South Sudan has reported the country’s first case of COVID-19. The patient, a 29-year old female returned from Netherlands on 28 February 2020 via Addis Ababa.  

The patient developed fever, cough, headache and shortness of breath and was identified by the authorities on 2 April 2020 that subsequently led to confirmation on 4 April 2020 by the National Public Health Laboratory in Juba.  

She has no history of underlying or pre-existing illness. She is in isolation and is in good health.