Mrs Nyanaath Gatleel Luoy, a 29-year-old mother of three, and her fellow villagers have been struggling to access healthcare services due to the long distance they need to walk to reach the medical center in Leer, which is several kilometers away.

"I had to walk 10 kilometers from our village in Kai Gai to seek treatment for my children in Leer hospital when they are sick because roads are sometimes impassable," said Mrs Luoy

"Walking this distance proved to be more challenging, especially during the rainy season when roads are cut off by floods water compelling us to walk with children to Leer to access health care, posing us to risk of another disease."

But with the recent improvement in the provision of health services at the nearby Kai Gai PHCC, Mrs Luoy now experiences a sense of relief.

"It has come as a huge excitement to us, now you just walk into Kai Gai facility, which is a few minutes away and receive the treatment we need," said Mrs Luoy

"Thanks to the support from our government and partners, the condition of healthcare and treatment at Kai Gai PHCC has been greatly improved, which has come as a blessing to the community here."

Stephen Thak Chan, Health Director for Leer County, Unity State.

Providing medical supplies where they are needed

With funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Ministry of Health and health cluster partners to provide much-needed health and nutrition services to the communities in four priority locations of Leer and Mayendit counties in Unity State and Ayod and Fangak counties in Jonglei State.  

As part of our efforts, WHO has procured and distributed 776 health emergency kits including Inter-Agency Emergency Health kits, cholera investigation and treatment kits, pneumonia kits.

Severe Acute Malnutrition with medical complication kits for partners who are providing essential health and nutrition services to those affected by crises. The kits are enough to serve 523 285 people affected by the conflict for the next three months.

Additionally, WHO has been supporting health cluster partners in conducting medical consultations in hard-to-reach areas, reaching over 70 000 people in need.

"We have been able to deploy rapid response teams, preposition medicines and medical supplies to areas of high needs, including providing healthcare services to returnees and refugees fleeing fighting in Sudan. It's been a privilege to be able to make a positive impact in the lives of those who need it the most."

Dr Fabian Ndenzako, the WHO Representative a.i. for South Sudan.

"The USAID's funding has been instrumental in enabling us to respond effectively to humanitarian health emergencies and ensure that affected communities have access to critical health services."

WHO is providing comprehensive healthcare services to vulnerable populations, including internally displaced persons, returnees, and members of the host community, who face a significant risk of illness and death across 20 counties in Jonglei, Lakes, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, and Western Equatoria states, suffering acute levels of food insecurity.

Technical contact:
Dr Aggrey Kaijuka Bategereza, Email: bategerezaa [at] who.int