Juba, 30 November 2024—In response to cholera outbreaks in South Sudan, the Ministry of Well being, with help from the World Well being Group (WHO) has secured over 282 153 doses of oral cholera vaccine to implement vaccination campaigns in areas recognized as cholera transmission hotspots.
The oral cholera vaccine (OCV) is provided by the Worldwide Coordinating Group (ICG), which coordinates and manages the worldwide stockpile of vaccines for international locations throughout cholera outbreaks. These vaccines will probably be used to implement a two-dose mass vaccination marketing campaign in Renk and Malakal Counties of Higher Nile State. Within the coming days, different doses will probably be shipped to help the response efforts in different affected places. The vaccination marketing campaign goals to mitigate the cholera outbreaks in these areas.
Procured and delivered by UNICEF’s Provide Division with the help of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the vaccines will probably be strategically deployed to Higher Nile State and different precedence places. This effort is a part of a complete prevention and response technique aimed toward addressing cholera, a extreme and preventable diarrheal illness, and safeguarding the well being of susceptible communities.
Honorable Yolanda Awel Deng, Minister of Well being for South Sudan, emphasised that “cholera prevention is a precedence in areas which have been prioritized for multisectoral intervention.” The OCV campaigns are supposed to guard susceptible populations and function a foundational step towards implementing sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions.
Given the humanitarian crises in South Sudan and the continuing cholera outbreaks pushed by restricted entry to secure consuming water and poor sanitation providers, a hoop vaccination technique will probably be employed within the context of restricted sources to maximise the impression of vaccination campaigns along with different response interventions together with enhanced cholera surveillance, affected person care, danger communication, and improved and sustainable WASH interventions.
Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Consultant to South Sudan, highlighted, “Though cholera is endemic in South Sudan, this time WHO and companions, together with the Ministry of Well being, are higher ready to include the outbreak and scale back the transmission by way of focused interventions.”
“The strategic interventions embody OCV campaigns in at-risk areas, coaching of state-level fast response groups (RRTs), and prepositioning and provision of diagnostic check kits and important provides for managing sufferers. These measures have enhanced surveillance and enabled immediate responses to suspected and confirmed instances”, stated Dr Karamagi.
“Cholera stays a serious menace to the well being of susceptible populations in South Sudan, particularly youngsters and ladies. UNICEF is collaboratively working with the Ministry of Well being and different companions to make sure elevated entry to life-saving vaccines by way of practical chilly chain programs, bettering water, sanitation, and hygiene, in addition to behavioral change efforts to handle the basis causes of this preventable illness. Collectively, we will shield communities and construct a more healthy, extra resilient future,” stated Hamida Lasseko, UNICEF Consultant.
The Ministry of Well being will conduct vaccination campaigns in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, MSF and different well being sector companions within the affected States.
Cholera continues to pose a major public well being problem in South Sudan, exacerbated by continued humanitarian crises affecting primarily youngsters, ladies, and different susceptible teams. The recurrent cholera outbreaks reveal the continued vulnerability of the inhabitants to the illness, which is preventable and treatable.
For extra info, please contact:
Ministry of Well being: Mary Denis Obat, E mail: mobat43 [at] gmail.com (mobat43[at]gmail[dot]com), Tel.:+211 924 887 006
WHO: Jemila M. Ebrahim, E mail: ebrahimj [at] who.int (ebrahimj[at]who[dot]int), Tel.: +211 921 647 859
UNICEF: Richard Ruati, E mail: rruati [at] unicef.org (rruati[at]unicef[dot]org), Tel: +211921-359-578