Juba – To enhance capability for therapy of infectious ailments and mitigate the danger of cross-border illness transmission, the Ministry of Well being, with help from the World Well being Group (WHO), has established and handed over an Infectious Illnesses facility within the border of Nimule to the Magwi County Well being Division.
The brand new 15 mattress capability facility is designed to bolster the nation’s healthcare system by offering crucial sources and infrastructure to handle infectious ailments successfully and boosting an infection prevention and management.
South Sudan initiated the institution of this facility in 2022, following the declaration of the Ebola Virus Illness (EVD) in Uganda. This facility is a product of continued investments in capability constructing for emergencies preparedness and response. With the present outbreak of Sudan Virus Illness outbreak in Uganda, that is the very best time to functionalize this facility, given the epidemiological linkages of the 2 sisterly nations. That is in step with worldwide well being laws (IHR (2005), which mandates nations to designate and strengthen capacities at factors of entry to mitigate the danger of cross-border illness unfold and protect worldwide public well being safety.
South Sudan has heightened vigilance for Viral Haemorrhagic Fever, Mpox and Cholera in any respect ranges. Nationwide readiness and response plans for the three ailments are getting used to tell funding and operational selections. Coordination of readiness investments have commenced utilizing the multi-disease outbreak Incident Administration System (IMS) presently managing Anthrax, Cholera and Mpox outbreaks.
“Our goal is to guard communities by making ready and responding well timed to outbreaks and different public well being threats and the institution of the Infectious Illness Unit on the Nimule level of entry will assist South Sudan to broaden the response capability to well timed detect, assess, report and reply promptly and successfully to public well being dangers, stated Dr Harriet Pasquale Akello, Undersecretary, Ministry of Well being. “
“Our major focus is to boost surveillance efforts, which incorporates screening all vacationers at main entry factors with Uganda. screening has already began in a number of high-risk areas.” Mentioned Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Consultant for South Sudan “with help from WHO, a multidisciplinary group of public well being consultants is presently dispatched to Nimule, and Kajokeji to conduct danger evaluation and outline priorities for strengthening early detection, investigation, and response to Ebola Virus Illness.
The 2024 Joint Exterior Analysis (JEE) of nationwide capacities recognized border well being and Factors of Entry as one of many weakest areas requiring enchancment. In flip, the JEE beneficial capability assessments, contingency planning for port well being companies growth together with worldwide vacationers screening, data sharing and minimal care amenities for isolation/containment of suspected infectious ailments affected individuals. It’s towards these JEE suggestions that strengthening of IHR capacities for Juba Worldwide Airport (JIA) and different designated factors of entry in Nimule and different border factors is being prioritized.
South Sudan has regularly confronted an elevated danger of rising ailments like Ebola virus, yellow fever, cholera, the continued COVID-19 and different ailments with a menace to worldwide public well being safety as a result of cross-border ailments unfold. WHO is working collaboratively with the Ministry of Well being and different stakeholders to cut back their impression on well being and wellbeing. The nation nonetheless continues to stay susceptible to future occasions.
For extra data, please contact:
Dr Jetri Regmi – Electronic mail: regmij [at] who.int (regmij[at]who[dot]int)