South Sudan News

WHO on 20 February handed over 12 dispensary tents and two ambulances to the Ministry of Health in support of health services in Pibor, Jonglei State.

The hand over took place during the launch of the Ministry’s Strategy for Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) and is in line with WHO’s commitment to support and strengthen the Ministry of Health’s capacity in South Sudan.

On 7 April WHO marked World Health Day with a donation of 10 ambulances, two vehicles, three motorcycles and 288 bicycles to the Ministry of Health in South Sudan to strengthen health services and enhance disease surveillance.

The donation is in line with WHO’s commitment to support the response to the humanitarian situation in South Sudan by strengthening health systems through technical and material support.

South Sudan on 7 April 2015 joined the rest of the world to mark World Health Day under the theme: 'From farm to plate, make food safe'.

To celebrate the day and translate this year’s theme to the local context, WHO in collaboration with Ministry of Health (MOH) and partners conducted various activities. These included the launch of the African Region Health Report 2014; the donation of 10 ambulances, two vehicles, 288 bicycles and three motorcycles to the MOH; an exhibition on food safety and a public awareness campaign at selected markets in Juba.

This newsletter covers critical issues and achievements by WHO in supporting the Ministry of Health and responding to the Grade 3 emergency.

In this issue:

- WHO SS Celebrates International Women’s Day in Style
- WHO Trains Rapid Response Teams to Enhance Ebola Preparedness
- Rising to the Challenge: Going the extra mile to save lives
- WHO and Partners Rally to Fight Cerebro Spinal Meningitis in South Sudan
- Global Polio Eradication Initiative Alive and Active in South Sudan
- WHO News in Brief

Juba, 5 June 2015: WHO has begun a series of Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) Campaigns in parts of South Sudan in concerted efforts to prevent a potential outbreak of the disease.

The campaigns, targeted for Bentiu and Juba 3 Protection of Civilians (PoC) sites in June 2015, aim to prevent more cases and will complement other measures already in place. This is crucial given the approach of the rainy season in the endemic country.

01. Happy to give blood, as every drop counts.

02. A donor has his haemoglobin checked before donating blood

03. One donation can save up to three lives.

04. A donor registers and gets information about voluntary blood donations before donating blood.

05. Give freely. Give often. Blood donation matters.

Juba, 17 June 2015 -- WHO has been assisting the Ministry of Health to step up both preparedness and surveillance for cholera in order to avoid a potentially large-scale outbreak.

“So far our efforts have been effective as evidenced by how prompt the suspected cases are being reported and tested,” says Dr. Allan Mpairwe, Head of Outbreaks and Disaster Management (ODM) at WHO in South Sudan.

Juba, 23 June 2015: The Minister of Health in the Republic of South Sudan, Dr. Riek Gai Kok has declared an outbreak of cholera in Juba County, South Sudan.

Addressing a press conference in Juba, where he made the declaration, Dr. Kok said on 1 June 2015, a cholera case was confirmed in UN House Protection of Civilians (PoC) site after Vibrio cholerae inaba was isolated from a stool sample. This was followed by subsequent cases.

Juba, 23 June 2015: The Minister of Health in the Republic of South Sudan, Dr. Riek Gai Kok has declared an outbreak of cholera in Juba County, South Sudan. On 1 June 2015, a cholera case was confirmed in UN House PoC after Vibrio cholerae inaba was isolated from one of the three stool samples.

Juba, 6 July 2015: Mary Wani frantically  waves a paper from the hospital bed where she sits, eager to share the exciting news of her recovery and subsequent discharge from the ward with anyone who will listen to her.

“I am going home,” she says , adding that she feels very strong. The 58-year-old mother of nine has just been discharged from Juba Teaching Hospital, where she was receiving treatment for cholera. The hospital was the first Cholera Treatment Centre (CTC) to be designated in the current outbreak.