Female anopheles freeborn is taking a blood meal from a human - courtesy

Malaria cases have significantly risen in Raja County of Western Bahr el Ghazal state, amidst limited health facilities and resources, the county commissioner has said.

The Commissioner of Raja County, Addison Arkangelo Musa told Eye Radio that at least 90% of residents in Raja County are suffering from malaria.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes and is one of the biggest killers in Sub-Sahara Africa.

According to the commissioner, due to the dense forest and farming activities in the area, there are a lot of mosquitoes.

Arkangelo said most of those affected are women and children.

He said the situation has compelled his administration to supply the hard-to-reach areas with enough antimalarial drugs.

The Commissioner spoke to Eye Radio this morning from Raja town.

“90% of Raja County residents are suffering from Malaria because of the dense forest and also there are a lot of mosquitoes in the residential area and farming areas,” said Raja County Commissioner.

“The biggest challenge we have been facing this year is Malaria, last month there was a big number of the children in the ward of Raja hospital and it was full,

“We are providing them with treatment not for them to go and search for treatment and we are always taking drugs to those people in the remote areas, because it’s not easy for them to come from their farm to get medicine.”

Raja County is located in the north-western corner of South Sudan in Western Bahr el-Ghazal State.

It borders Wau County to the south-east, Northern Bahr-el Ghazal State to the east, and Western Equatoria State to the south.

It also has long international borders with the Central African Republic to the west and Sudan to the north.