Juba, 28 October 2024—The Ministry of Health has declared a cholera outbreak on the present time in Renk, Better Nile Express. This declaration comes after experiences of 44 suspected cholera instances, and six laboratory-confirmed instances on 23 October 2024 in Renk, Better Nile Express. As of 27 October 2024, 49 cholera instances had been reported amongst refugees, returnees, and native communities.
The first suspected case modified into once reported on 28 September 2024 after the County Health Department obtained a file of a suspected case of cholera on the point of entry in Renk, a border town between Sudan and South Sudan.
In response, the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, and varied companions are taking steps to manage the outbreak.
The announcement modified into once made after a meeting with His Excellency President Salva Kiir Mayardit to staunch government reinforce for better fetch admission to to affected areas.
In a press conference in Juba, Health Minister Honorable Yolanda Awel Deng assured citizens that the federal government is committed to stopping the unfold of cholera in Renk, Better Nile Express.
“The Ministry of Health is responsive to the complex stipulations refugees and returnees face, akin to overcrowding and heart-broken water and sanitation, that will lead to outbreaks; nevertheless, the Ministry is working with health and water sanitation and hygiene cluster companions on the flooring to be certain that that the possibility of the outbreak spreading is minimized,” said Hon. Deng. She furthermore added that the Ministry of Health and WHO contain taken steps to upright administration of instances reported, ensuring that every-contact on the flooring is followed. She urged the communities to put collectively staunch and staunch behaviors, akin to fixed hand washing, exhaust of latrines, and upright meals handling during the outbreak season.
Addressing the press conference, Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Country Marketing consultant in South Sudan, counseled the Ministry of Health for declaring the outbreak. The announcement permits the overall public to take dangle of prevention measures, helps health companions take dangle of the a in reality worthy steps to contain the outbreak, and unlocks the a in reality worthy sources for fighting the outbreak.
Dr Karamagi further affirmed that WHO had prepositioned scientific offers a in reality worthy for cholera administration in Renk and Malakal, Better Nile Express and reiterated the group’s commitment to assisting the South Sudanese government and companions in controlling the unfold of cholera.
Dr Karamagi reiterated WHO’s commitment to supporting the Ministry of Health in enhancing disease surveillance, improving response coordination and ensuring the offer of scientific offers. This includes assistance with case administration, laboratory testing, sample series, transportation, and notice-up.
“Thanks to funding from the European Union Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) and the United States Company for International Fashion (USAID) allowed WHO to deploy experts and provide technical and logistical reinforce,” said Dr Karamagi.
With the reinforce of WHO, the Ministry has furthermore reactivated a nationwide, instruct, and county cholera taskforce to coordinate all response interventions, heighten surveillance, and partner coordination. WHO furthermore supports the County Health Department and Express Ministry of Health response crew in case of any capacity outbreak and is actively engaged in social mobilization.
Hon. Yolanda reassured the overall public now not to terror but to spoil calm and notice safety measures. Even though cholera may possibly well possibly honest furthermore be very extreme, it is preventable.
The clicking conference modified into once attended by the media, high-stage government officers, and the Nationwide Cholera Job Power, amongst others.
For more information, please contact:
Dr Aggrey BATEGEREZA, Emergency Preparedness and Response Team Lead
Dr. Eric RURANGWA, Incident Supervisor for Cholera Response
