Oral cholera vaccination poster. (MoH)

PIBOR, GPAA, (Eye Radio) – The Ministry of Health has launched an oral cholera vaccination campaign in Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) after the region recorded 3,240 cholera cases and over 100 fatalities in two months.

GPAA Information Minister Nyinginga Okanho Kiro said the vaccination campaign kicked off on April 15 after being postponed for one week due to logistical challenges.

Okanho said the immunization targets individuals aged one-year and above, and will cover key locations across Pibor, including Pibor Municipality, Greater Lekuangole, and Gumuruk in Jebel Buma.

He narrated that the vaccines had arrived a week before, and their distribution was delayed due to poor road access and coordination challenges among government and humanitarian partners.

“It was just launched today because of the logistic issue, where they were still trying to organize other things because road accessibility is a great challenge. That’s why the vaccine has been here in Pibor for at least a week now,” the minister said.

“By the way, cases have reduced in the main health centers like Pibor. But the only remaining challenge is some villages are not reached. We are still receiving some cases from far away, cattle camps, areas.”

He said despite a recent drop in reported cases at major health centers in Pibor town, remote areas and cattle camps remain unreachable, with some cases still being reported from those locations.

In March 2025, David Ngiro, Chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Pibor said Lekuangole County was the worst affected, with 91 deaths, followed by Pibor town with 22 and Gumuruk County with 8.

These figures excluded those who may have died outside health facilities.

Ngiro expressed concern over the high number of fatalities among children, women, and the elderly, stressing that the outbreak is stretching local health systems to the brink.

On April 2,GPAA Chief Administrator Peter Guzulu Maze reported a significant reduction in cholera cases in the region following medical support from the National Ministry of Health and international medical charity MSF.

South Sudan first declared the outbreak in October 2024 after recording cases in Upper Nile State – which has become a major transit point for refugees and returnees from Sudan. The crisis has rapidly spread across the country.

The Ministry of Health said the country has so far confirmed over 45,000 cases and over 800 fatalities across nine states and two administrative areas – with children being the most affected.

According to WHO, cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is classified as a global public health threat and indicates inequity and lack of social and economic development.

Further, access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene is essential to prevent cholera and other waterborne diseases.