South Sudan News

Wulu County, Lakes State, South Sudan, 3 December 2014 - The Ministry of Health (MOH), with support from WHO and partners on 3 December, launched the Cash Reward programme for the reporting of Guinea Worm Disease, and the implementation of community directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) for Onchocerciasis (river blindness) control in Wulu County, Lakes State.

Juba, South Sudan, 11 December 2014 - In continued efforts to strengthen the health service delivery system in South Sudan, WHO supported the Ministry of Health to host a National Health Policy Consensus workshop.

“Imagine living with a snake-like worm about a metre long in your body?” It sounds unthinkable, but that is the painful reality that people affected by Guinea Worm Disease (GWD) have to live with. The question was posed by State Minister of Health for Western Equatoria, Dr. John Bona during the ninth annual review meeting of the Guinea Worm Programme in South Sudan, held under the theme: “Together for a final push to eliminate Guinea Worm Disease in South Sudan.”

WHO supported the Ministry of Health to conduct a review meeting on Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) in South Sudan from 27 to 28 January 2015. 
 
Addressing delegates at the meeting, WHO Representative to South Sudan Dr. Tarande Constant Manzila commended the Ministry of Health’s commitment to prioritize the implementation and strengthening of communicable disease surveillance through the adoption and implementation of the IDSR strategy at all levels. 
 

When violence erupted in South Sudan at the end of 2013, tens of thousands of people fleeing the conflict sought refuge in United Nations bases positioned around the country in the hope that peacekeepers stationed there would protect them. The bases were quickly overwhelmed, with families crammed together with little or no access to safe water or sanitation.

Then the rainy season approached, increasing the risk of water-borne diseases, in particular cholera, which is endemic to the country – with the potential for explosive outbreaks in the congested camps.

When Margaret Dudu, a 30-year old mother of two, visited her mother in Gumbo on the outskirts of Juba, she intended to stay for a few days then return home and resume her life.

WHO on 20 February handed over 12 dispensary tents and two ambulances to the Ministry of Health in support of health services in Pibor, Jonglei State.

The hand over took place during the launch of the Ministry’s Strategy for Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) and is in line with WHO’s commitment to support and strengthen the Ministry of Health’s capacity in South Sudan.

On 7 April WHO marked World Health Day with a donation of 10 ambulances, two vehicles, three motorcycles and 288 bicycles to the Ministry of Health in South Sudan to strengthen health services and enhance disease surveillance.

The donation is in line with WHO’s commitment to support the response to the humanitarian situation in South Sudan by strengthening health systems through technical and material support.

South Sudan on 7 April 2015 joined the rest of the world to mark World Health Day under the theme: 'From farm to plate, make food safe'.

To celebrate the day and translate this year’s theme to the local context, WHO in collaboration with Ministry of Health (MOH) and partners conducted various activities. These included the launch of the African Region Health Report 2014; the donation of 10 ambulances, two vehicles, 288 bicycles and three motorcycles to the MOH; an exhibition on food safety and a public awareness campaign at selected markets in Juba.

This newsletter covers critical issues and achievements by WHO in supporting the Ministry of Health and responding to the Grade 3 emergency.

In this issue:

- WHO SS Celebrates International Women’s Day in Style
- WHO Trains Rapid Response Teams to Enhance Ebola Preparedness
- Rising to the Challenge: Going the extra mile to save lives
- WHO and Partners Rally to Fight Cerebro Spinal Meningitis in South Sudan
- Global Polio Eradication Initiative Alive and Active in South Sudan
- WHO News in Brief