6 December 2021, Juba -The World Health Organization (WHO) South Sudan Country Office held a consultative meeting with the senior management of the Ministry of Health on 6 November 2021. The aim of the meeting was to align WHO workplans for 2022-2023 biennium with country priorities. 

WHO plans in two-year cycles (biennium) with the current biennial plan 2020-2021 ending on 31 December 2021. 

The meeting was officiated by Dr Fabian Ndenzako, the WHO Representative a.i. for South Sudan and Dr Paul Samson Baba, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health. In attendance were Directors General and other top officials from the Ministry of Health as well as WHO Country office technical staff.

During his opening remarks, Dr Ndenzako underscored the need for enhanced teamwork and effective coordination between the Ministry and health stakeholders including WHO to improve the health security for all people in South Sudan.

“WHO is here to support the Ministry of Health, and this consultation meeting provides an opportunity to reflect on how WHO and the Ministry of Health can work together more effectively to improve the health outcomes of the people in South Sudan.” Said Dr Ndenzako.

According to Dr Paul Samson Baba, Acting Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, the technical support, and guidance that WHO has been providing has led to the country registering some positive health outcomes including responding to numerous emergencies with public health consequences and in a fragile, conflict-affected, and compounded with severe food insecurity, floods, and disease outbreaks. 

“We are thankful to WHO for this constructive engagement aimed at aligning WHO workplans with country priorities towards improving health and wellbeing of the people of South Sudan,” said Dr Baba. “Now our priorities are clearly spelt out and we are headed for implementation and with this spirit of teamwork I am hopeful we shall achieve more in the upcoming biennium.”

WHO South Sudan and the Ministry will continue to refine the plan to make it the most adjusted and fit for purpose, in line with the Republic of South Sudan Health-related objectives. 

The World Health Organization is the key United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable – so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health. 

For the WHO to deliver better results, the organization applies a result-based management framework. WHO’s results-based management framework is informed by the vision and strategic direction set in the General Programme of Work (GPW) 13. The full cycle is completed by the monitoring and evaluation to assess the achievement of results and applying these results to re-plan in a continuous organizational learning manner.

Technical contacts:
GAUSI, Khoti Wanangwa, Email: gausik [at] who.int (gausik[at]who[dot]int)