4 February 2021, Juba, South Sudan - To mitigate the risk of cross-border disease spread and minimize the risk of travel, trade and public health security, the Government of Japan and the World Health Organization (WHO) to establish port health facility at Juba International Airport to maintain the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 core capacities.

“Implementing IHR (2005) and establishing port health facility at Juba International Airport will help South Sudan to expand its response capacity to detect, assess, report and respond promptly and effectively to public health risks”, said Hon. Elizabeth Acuei Yol.

“We acknowledge the support of the Government of Japan and WHO”, said Hon. Elizabeth Acuei Yol. “The establishment of this Port Health facility at the Juba International Airport is a significant milestone towards meeting the country’s obligation under the IHR (2005) and in enhancing its preparedness and response capacity to address these challenges”.

Since South Sudan became a member state of WHO, the Ministry of Health with support from WHO and partners has initiated the process of strengthening port health services to facilitate the implementation of core capacity requirements for points of entry.

“I sincerely wish that the facilities will be fully utilized by the Ministry of Public Health in response to COVID-19 to protect people of South Sudan from the pandemic” said Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Head of Development Cooperation of the Embassy of Japan.

On this occasion, Japan and WHO also donated two all-terrain vehicles to the National Blood Transfusion Services to improve access to the much-needed lifesaving blood supplies to health facilities to reduce morbidity and mortality.

The vehicles were handed over by the Head of Development Cooperation in the Embassy of Japan, Mr Nobuhiro Kikuchi, to the National Minister of Health, Elizabeth Acuei Yol, in the presence of WHO and the media.

The over USD 162 000 plan to have a fully equipped port health facility at Juba International Airport will be operational by next month. The facility is key to galvanizing South Sudan’s epidemic preparedness and response.

WHO appreciates the sustained contribution to the well-being of the people of South Sudan by the Government of Japan, said Dr Guracha Guyo on behalf of Dr Olushayo Olu, WHO Representative for South Sudan. “The establishment of a port health facility will ensure routine core capacity to respond to events that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern.

Since 2015, the Government of Japan, through WHO has been supporting the overall humanitarian response in South Sudan, including the establishment of blood transfusion services in different parts of the country and the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in Juba, provision of lifesaving emergency medicines and supplies, strengthening disease surveillance and outbreak response as well as training of community health workers on communicable disease management.

The groundbreaking ceremony on 4 February 2021, was performed by Honorable Elizabeth Acuei Yol, Minister of Health, in the presence of the Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Japan, the Undersecretary Ministry of Health, Senior Ministry of Health Staff, Civil Aviation Authorities, WHO South Sudan and the media among others.

Technical contact:

Dr Alice Ladu, Email: ladua [at] who.int