South Sudan works towards containing recent cholera outbreak

South Sudan struggles to contain cholera outbreak

South Sudan struggles to contain cholera outbreak

1 Sep 2016

South Sudan works towards containing recent cholera outbreak

Health authorities in South Sudan say they’re close to containing the cholera outbreak in Juba, but are concerned about reports of new cases and deaths in other parts of the country.

 

The director of Juba Teaching Hospital, Isaac Maker said the number of patients at the facility was 45, way down from the hundreds treated there at the height of the epidemic. And most of the patients were responding well to treatment.

“I came in with diarrhea and vomiting and was given drips,” one of them told Radio Miraya. “I spent the night here and now I’m better.”

 

The hospital treats patients with support from the medical charity Medicine sans Frontier, and Maker was positive that the outbreak was now under control in Juba.

 

However, the authorities remain troubled by reports from the regions. On Tuesday, 31 August the ministry of Health confirmed four new cases in Nimule Payam in Pagery County and immediately dispatched a team to prevent any further spread of the disease in the area.

 

“They will train health workers in case management as well as social mobilization,” a senior official of the preventive health services told Radio Miraya, adding that health authorities and other partners in the state were setting up Oral Rehydration Points (ORP) centers across Nimule.

 

Concerned about cholera deaths occurring in the communities, the Ministry of Health has been urging the public to report any suspected cases. According to the director of Health Promotion, Mary Obat, five deaths were recorded last week in the localities of Managaten, Aruu Junction and Gudele.

 

Pre-emptive action is also underway in Malakal, where the authorities are carrying out vaccination against cholera and other water-borne diseases in Protection of Civilian (PoC) sites. The move is designed pre-empt an outbreak of cholera, Traveler’s Diarrhea, Typhoid Fever and other infectious diseases as the rains peak.

 

“In terms of water, sanitation and hygiene awareness, the local authorities are working very hard,” said WHO official, Dr Alam Jahangir. Although he noted that the risks for an outbreak tend to be high in the rainy season, Dr Jahangir said “measures taken by the Health cluster team are adequate.” He said teams were setting up hand-washing points and providing chlorine solution at the main PoC sites, while also conducting sensitization campaigns.