South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Awan Achiek
The Ministry of Health together with the World Health Organization (WHO) have declared cholera outbreak in Renk County of Upper Nile State.
Yolanda Awel Juach, Minister of Health said on Monday that six cholera cases have been confirmed in the area, following the first case at Wunthou Primary care center on 8th October 2024.
Awel said that as of 11 October 2024, a total of 33 suspected cases were reported out of which 6 cases were confirmed positive, following tests conducted at the National Public Health Laboratory in Juba.
“We declared an outbreak of cholera in Renk County, Upper Nile State based on confirmation of cholera by culture and confirmed evidence of local transmission in Renk,” Awel told journalists at a press conference in Juba.
She disclosed that case patients from 15-years and above are the most affected with 33 males (47%) and 32 females (53%).
Awel said that surveillance has been activated for immediate response to cholera, adding that they have strengthened the rapid response team which comprises of primary health care coordinators, lab focal persons, and disease surveillance officers.
“We are developing an immediate cholera response plan to mobilize resources to support the response interventions and containment,” she said.
The ministry has already delivered supplies such as cholera kits, and emergency health kits to the affected area after being supported by the World Health Organization.
“Drink and use safe water that has been treated with chlorine or boiled, and always wash hands with soap and clean water before cooking and handling food, eating and feeding children,” Awel said.
For his part, Dr. Byinj Ernest Apuktong, Minister of Health in Upper Nile State attributed the outbreak to population density due to lack of toilets and clean water.
“There are many reasons for this. First, there is a high population density in the entire state. Second, the population density may be due to the lack of toilets and clean water. Third, there is a high population density in the household. This is a problem for us,” said Ernest.
Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, Country Representative of the World Health Organization in South Sudan, said the case patients have all recovered and gone home.
“I think the key challenge that we need to keep a close eye on is the spread. Many of the cases that have come so far have been either returnees or people associated with activities in Sudan,” Karamagi said.
He said that the WHO is working closely with partners to mobilize resources to respond to the outbreak.
Renk is a key transit center for returnees and refugees fleeing fighting between the Sudan Armed Force (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) in neighboring Sudan.
South Sudan is currently hosting more than 810,000 individuals including returnees and refugees who fled fighting in mid-April 2023 in Sudan, according to the UN refuge agency (UNHCR).
