A vaccinator giving the oral cholera vaccine. Photo credit: WHO

At least 27 people died of cholera in Juba County in Central Equatoria, the commissioner said, amid ongoing vaccination campaigns to contain the spread of the disease.

First declared on 28th October, the outbreak has since escalated to Unity, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Jonglei, Lakes, Eastern and Central Equatoria states, leading to thousands of cases and straining already underfunded health facilities.

Speaking to a church congregation on Sunday, Emmanuel Tete Ezbon warned that the situation could have been far worse if the outbreak occurred during the rainy season.

“More than 27 people have succumbed to the disease. Had this outbreak occurred during the rainy season, it could have affected more than 10,000 people. We could be facing a potential catastrophe,” he said.

Ezbon underscored that the state ministry of health and partners have initiated a vaccination drive targeting over 50,000 individuals at Gurei Center and Juba’s IDPs camps where 1,342 cases reported in the last week alone at the former Protection of Civilians (PoC) site.

The commissioner revealed that further centers are being identified to respond effectively to potential outbreaks or suspected cases.

He emphasized the critical importance of hygiene measures, urging the public to prioritize handwashing with soap and clean water.

The National Ministry of Health has recorded 10,765 cholera cases and 168 deaths across South Sudan so far with half of the cases from displacement camps in Unity State, 13.1 percent from Juba County, and 10 percent in Malakal town.

South Sudan is reported to have some of the worst health indicators in the world. According to Health Pooled Fund, access to healthcare service remains a challenge for many communities in South Sudan, and even reaching a health facility does not guarantee access to appropriate care.

According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), persistent chronic gaps in healthcare, funding cuts, dire water and sanitation conditions and gaps in other essential services in South Sudan have created the perfect conditions for cholera to spread.

MSF stated that the outbreak is getting worse for people living in IDPs camps who have faced appalling conditions for many years, which have continued to deteriorate as donor funding has diminished.