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U.S. exit from WHO a blow to South Sudan’s ‘weak’ health system: Activist

Author: Chany Ninrew | Published: January 21, 2025

Deng Bol Deng, Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan speaking to Eye Radio, March 2024. Photo Credit: Charles Wote/Eye Radio.

South Sudan’s fragile health system – which has benefited from World Health Organization (WHO) – is bracing for hard times with the UN agency losing its biggest donor, an activist said, adding that Juba should end dependence on aid and take up the responsibility of delivering health services to its people.

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing his country from WHO, as part of a series of executive orders after his inauguration, covering various issues, including immigration, foreign policy, and climate change.

Trump has been critical of the UN health agency over alleged mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic and formally began the withdrawal in July 2020 before his predecessor Joe Biden halted the US exit.

The executive order cites the “organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises and its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms” as reason for the withdrawal.

However, it takes a year to fully withdraw from the body, and there is an obligation for the US to continue funding it for a year, according to CNN.

– ‘Fragile health system’ –

South Sudan’s health sector is funded by a multi-donor trust fund (MTDF) which receives contributions from donors including UN agencies like WHO and UNICEFY to fund health programs across the country.

The country has faced multiple crises including disease outbreaks since gaining independence and counts on the agency for much of its health needs including the recent deadly cholera outbreak.

WHO provides emergency supplies to hospitals and health facilities across the country in addition to bolstering health surveillance and response at the borders in times of major disease outbreaks.

Bol Deng Bol, Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan, acknowledged the significant U.S. contribution to the agency and fears that the withdrawal could have dire consequences for South Sudan which has a weak health system.

“USA’s contribution in the funding of WHO is close to 50 percent and this sudden decision is going to be extremely challenging, especially to the African nations and South Sudan in particular for its weak health systems,” he said.

Mr. Deng said the development is a wake up call on the South Sudan government to shun reliance on aid and step up on its responsibility to provide health service to the people.

“It is important to note that the Government of South Sudan is responsible for its fragile system. It is not the US; it is not the partners that are responsible but the government. This decision will force our Government to take these responsibilities seriously and salvage South Sudanese.”

“The current reliance on aids in the health system is unfortunate and must stop. I am urging the Government to take its health obligations to the people of South Sudan seriously and I want to urge South Sudan to avoid blame on partners but channel their complains to the government.”

South Sudan has some of the worst health indicators in the world, with the maternal mortality ratio estimated at 789 deaths per 100,000 live births, child mortality rate at 93 per 1,000 live births, and infant mortality rate at 60 per 1,000 live births.

According to Health Pooled Fund, access to healthcare service remains a challenge for many communities in South Sudan, and even reaching a health facility does not guarantee access to appropriate care.

National Health Minister Yolanda Awel has recently expressed dismay over the limited funding allocated to the health sector in the annual 2024-2025 fiscal year budget, adding that the underfunding frustrates reforms implementation in the health system.

She underscored that the government allocated only 1.3 percent of the 4.2 trillion-pound fiscal year budget to the health sector, which is less than the 2% allocated in the 2023-2024 and will only cater for salaries and incentives of health workers.

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