South Sudan Launches Cholera Vaccination Initiative for 300,000 at-risk Individuals
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Juba, Jan 11 (NationPress) The health ministry of South Sudan has commenced a week-long initiative aimed at vaccinating over 300,000 individuals against cholera in Rubkona, a critical hotspot county located in Unity State.
According to the ministry, this initiative, supported by the World Health Organization, United Nations Children's Fund, Medecins Sans Frontieres, and numerous other partners, is a vital measure to mitigate the ongoing cholera outbreak. This effort brings the total number of counties engaged in vaccination campaigns to four nationwide.
During the launch, South Sudan's Vice President for Service Cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, reaffirmed the government's dedication to effectively addressing the outbreak and implementing necessary actions to halt the disease's spread.
"The nationwide deployment of the cholera vaccine is an integral part of the government's comprehensive strategy to combat the cholera outbreak and safeguard lives," Akol stated in a release from Juba, the capital city of South Sudan.
The statement highlighted that Rubkona County is among the 31 hotspot regions currently facing cholera outbreaks, accounting for 50 percent of all reported cases. This campaign also seeks to shield vulnerable communities from severe diarrheal illnesses.
Yolanda Awel Deng, Minister of Health, urged all stakeholders in the health sector to amplify their efforts and provide critical support by promptly executing effective preventive measures under the government's guidance, as reported by Xinhua.
"The vaccine we are introducing is lifesaving, and I encourage the community to get vaccinated and follow all precautionary guidelines to reduce the risk of cholera infection," she stated. Since the declaration of a cholera outbreak in October 2024, over 17,581 cases have been documented across the nation, with a case fatality rate of 1.5 percent as of January 7, according to UN agencies.
Supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, more than 1.3 million doses of vaccines have been procured to address the cholera outbreak in hotspots throughout the country.
