Vice President Abdelbaggi Akol administering a vaccine on the child during the launched a polio outbreak response vaccination campaign on Tuesday in Juba - Credit: Kiko Martins/Eye Radio Feb. 27, 2024

The US Embassy in Juba has called on the Transitional Government to utilize public revenue to address urgent healthcare needs by vaccinating children against polio and other preventable diseases. This appeal coincides with today’s observance of World Polio Day.

World Polio Day is commemorated every year on 24^th October to highlight efforts to end poliomyelitis (polio) worldwide.

In a statement shared with the Eye Radio newsroom, the US Embassy noted that while cross-border conflict has contributed to the ongoing transmission of polio in the country, many underlying causes of polio and other disease outbreaks are worsened by government inaction.

It adds that failure to pay health workers salaries and decades-long dependence on donors to deliver basic healthcare are factors leading to continued disease outbreaks.

“While the cross-border conflict has contributed to continued polio transmission in the country, many root causes of polio and other disease outbreaks are exacerbated by the inaction of South Sudanese leaders, the statement read.

“Failure to pay health workers salaries and decades-long dependence on donors to deliver basic healthcare are factors leading to continued disease outbreaks.”

“We call on the South Sudan Transitional Government to respond to the needs of the South Sudanese people by using public revenue transparently to vaccinate children against polio and other preventable diseases.”

According to reports from the World Health Organization, it is estimated that 33% of the children in South Sudan have not received vaccination against poliovirus type two.

The reports add that the country’s immunization coverage has been impacted by population movements and displacement, making it harder to reach the children who need vaccinations the most.