Juba, 8 December 2015 - South Sudan took an important step in the global fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) with the launch of a new Five Year Implementation Plan (2016 – 2020) to control and eliminate all neglected tropical diseases endemic in the country.

South Sudan become one of the countries in Africa to launch a broad-based strategic plan on combating neglected tropical ailments that include kala azar, sleeping sickness, soil transmitted helminthes, guinea worm, trachoma, onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis.

The master plan provides a road map for South Sudan to be free of neglected tropical diseases and related morbidity and disabilities by 2020 and recommits the government and partners to achieving this goal.  

At a colorful event in Juba, the Honorable State Minister of Health, Dr Margaret Itto, was delegated by His Excellency the Minister of Health of South Sudan Dr Riek Gai Kok to preside over the event, demonstrating strong government commitment to ending the suffering of South Sudanese people due to neglected tropical diseases.

Launching the plan, Dr Margaret Itto, underlined that “the fight against NTDs is not only fighting diseases, it is about fighting poverty; stigmatization; marginalization as well as preventable suffering; debilitation; disfigurement and death”. It is hoped that a comprehensive master plan to make South Sudan free from neglected tropical diseases will inspire all stakeholders to devote greater attention to these parasitic ailments affecting poor communities in marginalized areas.

Dr Margaret Itto remarked that “the master plan provides guidance on the evidence of integration and the synergies realized in the implementation of Neglected Tropical Diseases” adding that the implementation of the strategy will be achieved through the involvement of a wide range of partners. The Minister acknowledged WHO’s and other partners support towards the reduction and prevention burdens of NTDs and reiterated the countries commitment to intensify towards the reduction of burdens of NTDs in South Sudan.

Whilst South Sudan continues to battle with outbreaks of Kalaazar, sleeping sickness, soil transmitted helminthes, trachoma, onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, significant progress has been made in recent years, with the country close to eradicate guinea worm disease.

Speaking at the event WHO’s officer in charge Dr Allan Mpairwe reiterated “WHO’s commitment to support South Sudan accelerate interventions for the control, eradication and elimination of NTDs in line with the WHA and AFRO RC resolutions of 2013”, adding that the master plan will enable to setup a comprehensive package of stakeholders interventions as well as implementing effective monitoring evaluative activities for the achievement of elimination of target NTDs by 2020.

The WHO’s officer in charge hoped that South Sudan’s 5 year master plan would serve as a blueprint for the scale-up of national NTD control and elimination plans.

_____________________________________________

For more information, pleas contact:

EBRAHIM Jemila, Email: ebrahimj [at] who.int (ebrahimj[at]who[dot]int)