This is during the 16TH annual review meeting in Juba this afternoon.

The 16TH annual review meeting came at the end of 2021 when the South Sudan Guinea Worm Eradication Programme reported four cases of Guinea worm disease.

After eight cases in 2018, four cases in 2019 and one case in 2020.

This year four cases were confirmed in Uror, Rumbek, Tonj East and Awerial counties.

According to the Guinea Worm director in the national ministry of health, the 16th Annual Review Meeting will provide an overview of the efforts to interrupt transmission of Guinea Worm disease in South Sudan and detail programmatic plans for 2022.

Doctor Makoy Samuel Yibi said the Guinea Worm programme will focus on two primary objectives which are raising awareness of the cash reward for promoting health-seeking behaviors.

And strengthen Guinea Worm disease surveillance through a community-based health system.

However, the declaration was signed by the national minister of Health Elizabeth Acuei and Minister of Water Resources Manawa Peter Gatkuoth and Craig Withers, the Vice President Overseas Operation at the Carter Center-Atlanta, USA.

“We are pleased to sign this open declaration over our desire to get water, sanitation, health and hygiene as an integrated part of our Guinea Worm, Trachoma and entity eradication and control agenda in South Sudan,” Doctor Makoy read the communique on behalf of the minister of health Elizabeth Acuei.

“In order to accomplish this we seek assistance from our NGO’s donor agencies foundations, government and others in order to obtain not only the financial resources but also the partnership to accomplish this task.”

On his part, the minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Manawa Peter Gatkuoth reaffirmed the commitment of the South Sudan government on Guinea Worm Eradication.

“I want to assure you of our commitment to provide support and funds to the ministry of health to eradicate Guinea Worm in South Sudan” said Manawa Peter.

“I am sure UNICEF through bilateral understanding will provide support to the program in the state and the county level in the effective state.”

The minister of health Elizabeth Acuei says the Guinea Worm Eradication Program has made impressive progress.

“Today, we start the proceeding of the 16TH annual review for the Guinea Worm Eradication program with a heavy mandate because of the 16 years of the program down on the land, after making impressive progress, the eradication momentum seems to have stolid,” said Elizabeth Acuei.

This year, the South Sudan Guinea Worm Eradication Program conducted health facility training reaching 450 health facility workers in Jur River Wau, Kapoeta North, Kapoeta East, Awerial, Torit and Duk Counties for improving community health department capacity.