South Sudan Secures Over 280,000 Cholera Vaccine Doses to Combat Outbreaks
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Juba, December 1 (NationPress) South Sudan, with assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO), has successfully acquired more than 282,000 doses of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) for vaccination initiatives in regions identified as cholera transmission hotspots.
The Ministry of Health announced on Saturday that the vaccines will be strategically distributed to Upper Nile State and other crucial locations, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
Minister of Health Yolanda Awel Deng emphasized, "Cholera prevention is a priority in areas targeted for multisectoral intervention," in a statement released in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
Awel further stated that the campaigns aim to safeguard vulnerable populations and act as a foundational step toward executing sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene measures.
The vaccines will be utilized to implement a two-dose mass vaccination campaign in Renk and Malakal counties within Upper Nile State, the minister added.
In the upcoming days, the minister indicated that additional doses will be dispatched to enhance response efforts in other affected regions. The vaccination initiative aims to alleviate cholera outbreaks in these areas.
As noted by Humphrey Karamagi, WHO representative in South Sudan, cholera is endemic in the nation. "The strategic interventions include OCV campaigns in at-risk areas, training of state-level rapid response teams, and prepositioning and provision of diagnostic test kits and essential supplies for managing patients. These measures have improved surveillance and enabled swift responses to suspected and confirmed cases," Karamagi remarked.
The WHO has stated that cholera remains a significant public health challenge in South Sudan, worsened by ongoing humanitarian crises that predominantly impact children, women, and other vulnerable groups.
