The epidemic – which started in September 2024 and was confirmed a month later – occurs in the midst of an prolonged humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the increase in inter -municipal violence, climatic shocks such as floods and catastrophic hunger.
“Now, more than ever, collective action is necessary to reduce tensions, resolve political differences and make tangible progress in the implementation of peace,” said Anita Kiki Gbeho, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan.
Alarming climbing
Since the cholera epidemic was declared in October 2024, the United Nations agencies and partners have documented more than 80,000 cases of cholera and 1,400 deaths.
This is added to regional epidemics of MPOX, hepatitis and measles among other transmitted diseases.
The South Sudanese authorities, civil society and the United Nations agencies held an interministerial meeting on Monday to discuss what they called an “alarming escalation” in the propagation of the epidemic.
“It is not simply a public health crisis, but a multisectoral emergency exacerbated by floods, displacement and limited access to basic services,” the ministers wrote in a published statement.
The group has decided to facilitate humanitarian access without hindrance to areas that already have epidemics and other areas at risk of epidemics. The South Sudan government will coordinate these efforts.
Partners will also work in the preposition of materials, will improve water and sanitation infrastructure and coordinate proactive and reactive vaccination campaigns.
Time runs out
With the peak of the rainy season on the horizon, the following eight weeks are essential to contain and alleviate the epidemic before the start of serious floods.
“Time is gasoline to prevent a new escalation from the epidemic,” the officials wrote.
Floods double more than double the frequency of cholera epidemics by jeopardizing clean water access and preventing humanitarian access to affected areas. And with the increase in global temperatures making the floods more serious, millions of South Sudanese people who were not previously in worrying regions could now be at risk of cholera epidemics.
Avoidable disease
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by the consumption of water or contaminated food. Although highly transmitted, it is avoidable thanks to appropriate hygiene, regular hand washing, safe preparation and storage, improvement of sanitation infrastructure and vaccination.
Symptoms generally include aqueous diarrhea. Most cases are light to moderate and can be treated effectively with oral rehydration salts (gold) mixed with clean and boiled water.
However, in serious cases, cholera can be deadly – sometimes in a few hours – if not treated quickly.
Infected individuals can also transmit the disease through their faces for up to ten days, even if they have no symptoms.
Need additional funds
In South Sudan, the already inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure and the too extinguished public health system has further deteriorated following displacement and conflicts. This has matured the conditions for the spread of cholera.
The United Nations and its partners work quickly to put emergency supplies, in particular in these previously at low risk areas, but they are hampered by the financing of deficits. The agencies estimate that they will need $ 1.69 billion – of which they have only received $ 368 million – to meet the many humanitarian needs in the country.
However, the group of ministers insisted that this epidemic is and must remain a priority for all those involved.
“Cholera’s response and flood preparation must be treated as urgent national priorities,” they said in the press release.
