Ministry of Health Undersecretary Dr. Harriet Pasquale speaks on Eye Radio's Dawn Show. November 13, 2024. (Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio).
The Ministry of Health has recorded more 52,000 cases and 450 related deaths in the ongoing cholera outbreak, with cases declining in previous epicenters and rising in some new hot spots in the country.
Dr. Harriet Pasquale, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Health, said infection rates are still high in Juba, Mayom in Unity State, Twic East in Jonglei State and Aweil West in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
“As of today, we have reported a cumulative total of about 52,000 cases across the country and about 450 deaths reported across the country,” she said in an interview with Eye Radio on Wednesday.
“We see that cases in most of the counties have started to decline, except for Juba, Mayom, Twic East and Aweil West, which are reporting most of the cases as of now. Most of the deaths are happening around Mayom, that is in Unity State.”
Dr. Pasquale noted that most cases and fatalities are currently being reported from Mayom, a situation she attributed to limited awareness to the local residents.
The health official said plans are underway to open more response facilities in Mayom and embark on awareness creation in the hotspot areas.
“We have mobilized partners to support us in regards to community engagement and also case management. So hopefully in this week, we will be able to open a number of cholera treatment units and centers across Mayom.”
Dr. Harriet further added that vaccination campaigns are ongoing in some counties with few concluded and others yet to start soon.
“We have started the cholera vaccination campaign and vaccination has been completed in Malakal and Renk. In Juba and Robkona vaccination is still ongoing and almost to be completed.”
“We are yet to deploy vaccines in Aweil, that is in Northern Barh El-Ghazal, to cover the counties affected. Vaccination for Pigi has been launched this week.”
She said the Ministry has received about 2 million doses of cholera vaccines and is waiting to receive an extra 4 million to cover all the affected counties in the Country.
According to the World Health Organization, Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
It is a global public health threat and indicates inequity and lack of social and economic development.
WHO adds access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene is essential to prevent cholera and other waterborne diseases.
The cholera outbreak was first declared in October 2024 and has rapidly spread across South Sudan.
In the latest update, the UN health agency said the case fatality ratio in the South Sudan cholera outbreak is currently 1.8%, which exceeds it’s target threshold of less than 1%.
It states that while cholera cases have been reported in 31 out of 80 counties across seven states and one administrative area, Rubkona county in Unity State accounts for 47% of total cases, followed by Juba county at around 10%.
The ongoing influx of refugees and returnees fleeing the conflict in Sudan increases the risk of infectious disease outbreaks like cholera and continues to exert pressure on an already fragile health system, WHO said.
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.
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