The COVID-19 pandemic stays a public well being concern affecting tens of millions of households together with essentially the most susceptible inhabitants.
The World Well being Group (WHO) with funding from the US Company for Worldwide Improvement (USAID) is supporting the Ministry of Well being, Republic of South Sudan in combating the unfold of COVID-19 with a view to decrease an infection and defend the communities.
South Sudan is without doubt one of the international locations that continues to face an enormous burden of illness outbreaks. The nation confirmed its first COVID-19 case on 5 April 2020 and has since recorded 18 048 instances and 138 deaths from COVID-19.
In response to this problem, WHO and different companions have been supporting the Ministry of Well being to boost the preparedness and response interventions in keeping with the Worldwide Well being Rules (IHR 2005).
To scale up using COVID-19 testing throughout the nation, WHO skilled 98 speedy response groups in 10 states and three administrative areas and delivered laboratory in addition to an infection prevention and management provides to strengthen the capability of laboratories.
“Due to USAID, we have been capable of ship greater than 100 COVID-19 samples to Uganda Virus Analysis Institute for genomic sequencing of which 34 samples yielded full high-coverage genome”, mentioned Dr Fabian Ndenzako, WHO Consultant a.i. in South Sudan. USAID’s help to the COVID-19 response helps save and defend lives.
To fight the worldwide pandemic, the USA Authorities donated 656 950 doses of the Johnson and Johnson ‘Janssen’ vaccine to the individuals of South Sudan in its response to COVID-19.
As a part of its help for COVID-19 response actions at nationwide, subnational and group ranges, WHO in collaboration with Ministry of Well being and different companions are scaling up vaccination via intensified COVID-19 vaccination optimization marketing campaign reaching essentially the most susceptible communities who’re going through humanitarian conditions reminiscent of floods, meals insecurity, battle and displacement.
Up to now, 1.9 million South Sudanese are totally vaccinated with 26% supported by WHO via the WHO led intensified COVID-19 vaccination optimization marketing campaign in 34 of the 80 counties in South Sudan
To help the vaccine drive, group leaders are serving to to strengthen public confidence on the security of the COVID-19 vaccines. “I’m blissful my individuals have obtained the vaccine,” says Mr Peter Bornalia Kuajo, the Deputy Group Chief, Mankaru Boma, Mangala IDP Camp. “Over 50 individuals vaccinated in lower than one hour at this time is clearly a sign that folks in my group actually are ready for the vaccines and able to obtain them”.
Technical contacts:
Mr Malick Gai, E-mail: gaim [at] who.int
Dr Brendan Dineen, E-mail: dineenb [at] who.int