South Sudan News

The World Health Organization with support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has inaugurated the construction of a maternity complex in Yambio hospital, Western Equatoria state and a maternity waiting home in Wau hospital, Western Bahr el Ghazal state.

01 October, 2013, Juba – The Ministry of Health, Republic of South Sudan in collaboration with the World Health Organization announce the outbreak of measles in Malakal County, Upper Nile state.

This announcement follows reports of 44 suspected cases of measles reported from Malakal Teaching hospital pediatric ward since August 2013 in which 10 of the 15 samples collected from patients tested positive for the measles (IgM). Those affected are aged between 6 – 18 month of age and continue receiving treatment at Malakal Teaching Hospital.

The WHO Regional Director (RD) for Africa, Dr Luis G Sambo has arrived in South Sudan for an official visit and to orient himself with the health situation in the country. The Regional Director’s visit follows South Sudan shift from the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to the WHO African region.

Dr Sambo was received at Juba International Airport by the WHO Head of Country Office, Dr Abdi Aden Mohammed, the Under Secretary, Officer in Charge also the Director General for Planning,

Juba, 25 October 2013 -- A high level delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO), led by the Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis G Sambo is visiting South Sudan to assess WHO’s technical cooperation and officially welcome the country as the 47th Member State to the African Region. On arrival, Dr Sambo met with the President of the Republic of South Sudan, H.E. General Salva Kiir Mayardit, in the President’s Office, in the presence of the Honorable Minister of Health, Dr Riek Gai Kok.

Juba, 25 October 2013 -- A Basic Agreement between the World Health Organization and the Government of the Republic of South Sudan for the Establishment of Cooperation was signed on 25 October 2013 in a signing ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, where the Honorable Minister, Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin signed on behalf of the Republic and WHO Africa Regional Director, Dr Luis G Sambo, signed on behalf of WHO.

Poor water, hygiene and sanitation conditions in internally displaced persons camps, a looming risk of disease outbreaks

3 February 2014, Juba -- The World Health Organization (WHO) conducted emergency vaccination in camps in Bor, capital of Jonglei State in South Sudan following reports of death of children due to suspected measles cases, and the inaccessibility of the area in the past 3 weeks.

WHO deployed a technical team to Bor Protection of Civilians (IDP) camp resulting in vaccination of 2,559 children against measles, 2,817 against polio and 1,935 being given Vitamin A supplementation.

22 FEBRUARY 2014 | GENEVA - WHO is working with the South Sudan Government and partners to provide vaccines to protect nearly 140 000 people living in temporary camps in South Sudan against cholera.

The vaccines come from an emergency stockpile managed by WHO, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and UNICEF. It is the first time the stockpile, created in 2013 by WHO, is being activated.

A four day workshop to develop the South Sudan National Malaria Strategic Plan for the period 2014-2020 has opened in the Country’s State capital, Juba. The development of the strategic plan is a multi-sectoral activity that requires the participation of all partners with vested interests in malaria control in South Sudan. On its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) is providing Technical Assistance in the development of the Malaria strategy and facilitating the consultative process towards an all inclusive National Malaria Strategic Plan.

South Sudan commenced implementation of integrated Measles, Polio vaccination and vitamin-A supplementation campaign on 23 April 2014 targeting 2.4 million children below five years. The campaign will be implemented in seven of the country’s ten states to administer measles vaccines and vitamin A capsule to children aged 6-59 months and Oral Polio vaccine to children aged 0-59 months.