South Sudan News

Juba, South Sudan, 19 July 2017: The World Health Organization (WHO) received 500 000 doses of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) on 17 July 2017. WHO is working with the Republic of South Sudan’s Ministry of Health and partners to scale up cholera vaccination campaign from 28 July to 3 August 2017. 

Cumulatively, a total of 17 785 cholera cases including 320 (CFR 1.8%) deaths have been reported from 24 counties in South Sudan since the outbreak in June 2106.

Cholera contributes substantially to the disease burden in South Sudan, where outbreaks have been confirmed every year since 2014. Thus, cholera is endemic in South Sudan and requires an integrated and comprehensive approach that entails surveillance, patient care, optimal access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); social mobilization and complementary use of oral cholera vaccines.

Juba, 7 July 2017 – South Sudan has historically faced a double burden of natural and man-made hazards. The majority of which have been biological hazards like the Ebola outbreaks of 1976, 1979 and 2004, Yellow fever, Cholera, Measles, Meningitis, Visceral Leishmaniasis and Guinea Worm. Natural hazards including perennial floods, occasional droughts and famine affecting both human and animal health.

Juba, 8 June 2017 - In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) has rolled out an electronic surveillance system called Early Warning, Alert and Response System (EWARS) to enhance the collection, management and analysis of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) data.

9 December 2011 – In a final push to eradicate poliomyelitis (polio) from South Sudan, the Ministry of Heath and its partners, UNICEF and WHO, have launched the first of four rounds of a polio national immunization campaign. The "Kick polio out of South Sudan" campaign will take place from 13 to 16 December.

16 January 2012 – There is a threat of malnutrition and possible vector-borne, water borne and respiratory tract disease outbreaks among the displaced population in Pibor county.

The displacement follows intertribal clashes in the last week of December 2011 and first week of January 2012, in which over 60 000 people from Pibor, Lekuangole, Fertait, Bilait, Dorein and many other areas were displaced, with many reported wounded or dead.

14 May 2012 – Dr Michael Milly Hussein, Minister of Health, pledged support and commitment for the implementation of the human resources for health policy and strategy of South Sudan. The pledge came during a validation meeting for the policy and strategy in Juba, on 14 May 2012. The validation workshop is part of the process of developing a new human resources for health policy and strategy.

20 May 2012 – With over 376 226 returnees reported across South Sudan, WHO has stepped up its support and response across all states.

This has involved prepositioning medical supplies and medicines in all 10 states, training health workers on communicable disease surveillance, response and case management, and ensuring the immunization of all returnee children.

In Juba alone, over 10 500 returnees are expected to arrive, and 1890 have already arrived by air and another 1971 by boat.

6 June 2012 – Human African trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, is currently on the rise in South Sudan. The disease is transmitted by tsetse fly and is 100% fatal without treatment. It is endemic in Greater Equatoria State. 

A person recently-affected by the disease may not feel any symptoms for months or may present with symptoms that mimic other common diseases such as malaria.