“The majority of our population in the cities and rural areas depend on untreated water points with potentially contaminated water. This puts them at risk of waterborne disease outbreaks like cholera”, said Dr John Rumunu, the Director-General of Preventive Health Services, Ministry of Health.

Lack of access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation is a public health concern in South Sudan with more than half of the population having no access to sufficient and safe drinking water. These gaps have in the past triggered outbreaks of cholera, hepatitis E virus, and other waterborne diseases.

Dr Rumunu notes with concern that access to safe drinking water remains low and poses a great risk to public health security in the country.  
In Juba, the Capital City, residents can access drinking water supplied mainly through a public water filling station on the riverbank, boreholes, and small private water suppliers. These drinking water sources are prone to contamination through the water supply chain to the last point of use by household consumers.

“Given the risk associated with consumption of contaminated drinking water, ongoing surveillance is required to identify contaminated water sources and promptly initiate recommended public health action to avert the risk of outbreaks”, said Dr Fabian Ndenzako, the WHO Representative a.i. for South Sudan.

To determine the level of water contamination, WHO with funding from the Central Emergency. Response Fund (CERF) collected and tested water from treatment plants, boreholes or wells, distribution trucks, and domestic drinking water vessels to determine the level of contamination with bacteria, chemicals, and other contaminants.

In 2022, a total of 45 water samples were tested from several boreholes, treatment plants, community commercial water storage facilities, and distribution trucks in Juba and 30 samples were collected from the water source in Rubkona County, Unity State. The test results showed that 40% of the samples were not safe for human consumption and could potentially trigger outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid, dysentery, or hepatitis E virus.  

WHO is working with the Ministry of Health and City Council, relevant local health authorities and partners to ensure immediate public health action is initiated to decontaminate unsafe water sources to avert the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks.

As part of the national preparedness and response readiness for cholera, WHO, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation and partners have revamped regular water quality testing and monitoring in cholera hotspots to avert the risk of outbreaks.

“Strengthening multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration is vital to ensure safety of drinking water and prevent disease outbreaks and improve the health and wellbeing of the population”, said Dr Ndenzako.  WHO will continue supporting the Ministry of Health to ensure that the health and wellbeing of the population are not compromised by preventable diseases,” said Dr Ndenzako.

In 2017, the Ministry of Health with support from WHO has established the Water Quality Testing Laboratory at the National Public Health Laboratory to improve the capacities for regular water quality testing and monitoring.

Link to the WHO water quality dashboard

https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiODEzMTA2ZmEtZmYyMC00MmU3LThhOWMt…

Technical contacts:
Alex Freeman Sokemawu, Email:sokemawufreemana [at] who.int (sokemawufreemana[at]who[dot]int)
Dr Wamala Joseph Francis, Email:wamalaj [at] who.int (wamalaj[at]who[dot]int)