Juba ‒ Cecilia Achuwor, a 38-year-old mom of six youngsters, is likely one of the tons of of 1000’s of refugees and returnees who’ve crossed the border into South Sudan because the starting of the battle in neighbouring Sudan 16 months in the past. “My husband stays in Khartoum,” she says. “We separated from him with none communication. He doesn’t know the place we’re and we additionally don’t know the place he’s. I’m right here alone with the youngsters, and they’re all sick,” she says.
Achuwor, a South Sudanese nationwide, is at a transit centre close to Renk, a small city that borders Sudan to the north. For the reason that starting of the Sudanese battle, nearly 60% of the 600 000 refugees and returnees who’ve entered South Sudan have accomplished so by means of two factors of entry close to Renk. Extra just lately, a brand new battle has begun simply to the east of Renk, and humanitarian staff have reported individuals arriving on foot by means of the bush.
“Relatively than coming from an space like, say, Khartoum that had good entry by street, now we’re seeing individuals actually strolling into South Sudan for care and safety,” says Dr Brendan Dineen, World Well being Group (WHO) Emergency Preparedness and Response Officer in South Sudan. “So, the scenario is worse than it was beforehand, and we’re seeing many well being challenges, humanitarian challenges, and safety challenges every day.”
Refugees and returnees usually current with a spread of infectious ailments, in addition to power ailments. “A minimum of 50% of the circumstances are communicable ailments. Malaria is on high of the record, adopted by acute respiratory tract infections and we’re seeing an increase in acute watery diarrhoea,” says Dr William Nazario, a health care provider with Worldwide Medical Corps.
In the meantime, Dr Ayuel Deng, Medical Officer for Renk County highlights that increasingly individuals are presenting with hypertension, diabetes and cancers and require power medicine and specialist companies.
WHO is supporting county well being authorities to coordinate the well being response for returnees and refugees. At two transit centres close to Renk, the Group is offering supportive supervision to a few well being companies ‒ Worldwide Medical Corps, Aid Worldwide and World Imaginative and prescient Worldwide ‒ who ship major well being care companies to 4000 refugees and returnees every week.
This has helped to make sure higher entry to well being companies for these susceptible populations, who should endure troublesome situations on the transit centres. “The service right here is sweet,” says Nailla Elhadi Hamid, a 40-year-old refugee from Sudan. “I even introduced my son right here, who’s sick with malaria, and the drugs is accessible. Earlier than that, my sister had eye ache and she or he discovered the drugs was additionally accessible.”
Following a cholera outbreak in Sudan in September 2023, WHO has skilled round 92 well being care staff from well being services round Renk in cholera surveillance, prevention, remedy and management. The Group has established a cholera screening centre on the Wunthou level of entry. Since December 2023, 320 000 individuals have been assessed by well being staff, not just for cholera, but in addition different infectious ailments and well being situations. “We additionally present oral rehydration answer as a result of the place individuals have come from, they’re weak.” says John Toch, a scientific nurse on the centre.
For the reason that begin of the battle, WHO has additionally distributed 119 metric tons of medical provides and tools to deal with nearly 680 000 individuals, together with kits for a spread of infectious ailments and malnutrition. As a part of its cross-border collaboration, WHO South Sudan nation workplace in partnership with the WHO Sudan nation workplace delivered 51 metric tons of emergency well being kits to achieve 830 000 individuals dwelling in conflict-affected communities close to the border. “We actually recognize WHO, as a result of they help us lots when it comes to provides to our companions,” says Deng.
“WHO, well being authorities and implementing companions are collaborating day by day to ship well being companies to refugees and returnees hoping for a greater life,” says Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Consultant in South Sudan. “With out our donors this might not be potential. So, working along with others, WHO will proceed to help the well being emergency response in South Sudan.”