South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Jenifer James
The Central Equatoria State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners has launched a cholera vaccination campaign targeting over 50,000 individuals.
The initiative follows a surge in cholera cases, with 1,342 cases reported last week alone in Protection of Civilians (PoC) site.
Speaking during the launch on Wednesday, the Deputy Governor of Central Equatoria, Paulino Lukudo Obede, emphasized the safety and importance of the cholera vaccination.
“The cholera vaccine is safe, which is why we are taking it to protect ourselves. This is the first line of protection,” said Lukudo.
Lukudo highlighted the challenges faced in the camps for internally displaced persons, which host over 38,000 people including returnees from Sudan.
“The population here is large, but the available services—healthcare, water, sanitation is inadequate. We must act now to save lives and stop the spread of cholera,” he said.
Lukudo appreciated the effort of partners in ensuring the successful roll out of the cholera vaccination campaign.
For her part, the Central Equatoria State Minister of Health, Najua Juma Mursal, reassured residents about the safety of the vaccines and urged them to get vaccinated.
“It is my pleasure to be here for the launch of the oral cholera vaccine in POC3, mainly in Juba County. This vaccine has no side effects and is crucial in our fight against cholera,” said Mursal
She praised the cooperation of the POC3 community and support of the healthcare partners like Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) and the World Health Organization.
Mursal said that since the first cholera case was reported in Central Equatoria State on December 15, a total of 1,833 cases, including 20 deaths, have been recorded the majority of cases 1,342 are from POC sites.
However, the Chairperson of the Protection of Civilians site, Elijah Hon, expressed frustration over the dire living conditions inside the camp, adding that it was what caused cholera outbreak in the camp.
“We are tired of living in POC without proper sanitation, so to address cholera we need to construct toilets and ensure a cleaner environment,” he said.
The cholera vaccination campaign aims to curb the spread of cholera and improve public health in overcrowded and underserved areas.
In October the Ministry of Health, declared a cholera outbreak in Renk, Upper Nile State.
This declaration came in the aftermath of six laboratory-confirmed cases on 23 October 2024 in Renk.
