The agony skilled by moms throughout childbirth evokes sorrowful recollections for Mrs. Atto Christine Lino, a midwife in South Sudan.

Mrs. Lino, a 28-year-old midwife, working at Gurei Main Well being Care Centre in Juba, highlights the extreme challenges moms undergo whereas delivering infants in South Sudan. “It’s at all times a really painful expertise, working with moms and witnessing the immense ache they endure throughout childbirth, mentioned Lino. “Some handle to ship safely regardless of the ache, others can lose their lives within the course of.” she explains, including that dying is excessive amongst girls who don’t adhere to antenatal care.  

Regardless of progress in current many years, maternal and new child deaths stay a vital problem. Practically 300 000 girls die globally every year as a result of being pregnant or childbirth-related causes. As well as, 2.3 million infants die inside their first month of life, and 1.9 million are stillborn – losses which are concentrated in low-income international locations and fragile settings together with South Sudan.

South Sudan has one of many highest maternal mortality ratios globally, with 1,223 maternal deaths for each 100,000 reside births. For newborns, the burden is equally extreme, with 40 deaths per 1,000 reside births and a stillbirth charge of 26 per 1,000. These outcomes are pushed by well-documented boundaries resembling restricted entry to expert care, low charges of facility-based deliveries, inadequate emergency obstetric companies, and underutilization of reproductive well being interventions.

Dr Anin Ngot Mou, Undersecretary, Ministry of Well being, acknowledged. “Regardless of going through quite a few well being challenges, the nation has made progress in addressing maternal mortality by enhancing maternal well being companies throughout the nation, providing a hopeful outlook in direction of attaining higher well being end result for moms”.

Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Consultant to South Sudan recommended the Ministry of Well being’s efforts whereas reaffirming WHO’s dedication to collaborate with the federal government and well being companions in South Sudan to enhance provision of important healthcare companies. “As we mark 2025 World Well being Day, It’s crucial to think about each the challenges and achievements in enhancing healthcare system In South Sudan”, Mentioned Dr Karamagi, “entry to maternal care stays a urgent concern, and WHO stays steadfast in supporting the Ministry of Well being to improve amenities, coaching expert personnel, and investing within the social determinants of well being to alleviate the struggling of ladies”.

WHO is partnering with group like UNFPA, Momentum, WISH and STBF to strengthen well being techniques, via coaching of healthcare suppliers.

Mrs. Lino, who is among the beneficiaries of the a number of trainings mentioned the coaching has allow her to carry out her duties nicely “I specific my gratitude to my fellow well being staff, you might be doing so much. I would really like additionally to increase my request for additional assist to the federal government particularly enhancing the abilities and data of well being staff via coaching”.

In 2024 WHO supported the Ministry of Well being to develop pointers and coaching packages on post-abortion care (PAC), Maternal and perinatal dying surveillance and response (MPDSR) and Cervical most cancers management. The rules had been used to coach 15 well being care staff from chosen PHC centres in Central Equatoria State, which have been outfitted with handbook vacuum aspirators, beds, speculums and consumables.

As well as, a cervical most cancers screening program has been established on the Wau Instructing Hospital in Western Bahr El Ghazal State, the Juba Instructing and Referral Hospital, the Kator PHC Centre and the Gurei PHC Centre in Central Equatoria State. Since screening started on 5 October 2024, 219 girls have been screened within the following amenities: Of these screened, seven (4.1%) obtained therapy for premalignant lesions and 10 (5.9%) had been identified with cervical most cancers and referred for additional therapy in hospitals. These cervical most cancers screening companies are performing entry factors for accessing household planning and publish abortion care companies.

Moreover, WHO supported the Ministry of Well being to boost management and partnerships, enhancing healthcare entry and high quality. The newly World Financial institution-funded Well being System Transformation Venture, supported by UNICEF and WHO, strengthened emergency obstetric care, new child companies, provide chains, and digital well being techniques.