The Ministry of health is offering a cash reward of 500 pounds to any individual who reports a case of Guinea worm to a health facility and is confirmed to be a case of the disease.

In addition, anyone who encourages a patient with the disease to seek treatment will also be rewarded 100 SSP.

In a statement, the Minister of Health, Dr. Riek Gai Kok, announced that South Sudan is on the verge of eliminating the disease.

“To help detect and contain every case throughout the country, the program is offering a cash reward up to 500 pounds for any individual who reports to a health facility or health worker,” partly read the statement.

The ministry says five confirmed cases of Guinea worm were reported in the country last year.

The cases were in Namuroyang, Boma, Eastern Lakes, Tonj, and Wau States.

This makes a 93% reduction compared to cases recorded in 2014.

South Sudan developed a community-based surveillance system in 2006 to detect all cases of Guinea Worm.