92 well being care staff educated; 119 metric tons of medical provides distributed; 320 000 individuals assessed at WHO screening centre.
Cecilia Achuwor, a 38-year-old mom of six kids, is likely one of the a whole bunch 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 kids, 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, virtually 60% of the 600 000 refugees and returnees who’ve entered South Sudan have performed so by way 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 way 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 Deenan, 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 each day.”
Refugees and returnees typically current with a spread of infectious ailments, in addition to continual ailments. “At the least 50% of the instances are communicable ailments. Malaria is on high of the listing, 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 an increasing number of persons are presenting with hypertension, diabetes and cancers and require continual treatment and specialist providers.
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 3 well being businesses ‒Worldwide Medical Corps, Aid Worldwide and World Imaginative and prescient Worldwide ‒ who ship main well being care providers to 4000 refugees and returnees per week.
This has helped to make sure higher entry to well being providers for these weak populations, who should endure tough circumstances on the transit centres. “The service right here is nice” 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 obtainable. Earlier than that, my sister had eye ache and he or she discovered the drugs was additionally accessible.”
Following a cholera outbreak in Sudan in September 2023, WHO has educated round 92 well being care staff from well being amenities round Renk in cholera surveillance, prevention, therapy 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 right here, not just for cholera, but additionally different infections ailments and well being circumstances. “We additionally present oral rehydration answer as a result of the place individuals have come from, they’re weak.” says John Toch, a medical 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 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 succeed in 830 000 individuals residing in conflict-affected communities close to the border. “We actually admire WHO, as a result of they help us loads when it comes to provides to our companions,” says Deng.
“WHO, well being authorities and implementing companions are collaborating each day to ship well being providers to refugees and returnees hoping for a greater life,” says Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Consultant in South Sudan. “With out our donors this could not be attainable. So, working along with others, WHO will proceed to help the well being emergency response in South Sudan.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Well being Group (WHO) – South Sudan.