South Sudan - Since the declaration of a cholera outbreak on 15 May, a total of 5,697 cholera cases, including 123 deaths, have been confirmed in South Sudan. The outbreak in Eastern Equatoria State is especially troubling, with over 2,400 cases reported between April and July.

Based on response gaps identified by the National Water, Sanitation and Health (WASH) cluster, IOM was asked to bolster the ongoing emergency response in the hope of containing the outbreak.

On August 2nd, IOM sent a rapid response team of six to Torit in Eastern Equatoria to support WASH efforts in Lopa Lafon, Ikotos and Magwi counties. Magwi is considered one of the hardest hit of the three counties, with very little infrastructure for the provision of WASH services, especially a lack of sufficient functioning water points.

The IOM team encountered 13 non-functioning boreholes that needed immediate rehabilitation in order to provide a safe water source and to avoid a situation in which the community would be forced to use unsafe sources.

The team found that the community also had very little awareness of safe health and hygiene practices.

With assistance from the Directorate of Water and Sanitation and UNICEF, IOM was able to secure parts to repair the faulty water points.

On August 13th the first borehole, located at Magwi Primary School, was repaired and functioning. IOM staff also organized hygiene training for a group of community hygiene promoters, in an effort to change behaviors towards safe hygiene practices in order to reduce the risk of waterborne diseases.

The IOM team will remain on the ground in Eastern Equatoria until completion of the intervention, supporting the efforts of the WASH cluster and the local government to contain the outbreak.

IOM South Sudan Rapid Response Coordinator Andrea Paiato is excited about the deployment of the team. “This intervention will increase access to safe drinking water and improve community awareness of safe hygiene and sanitation practices. The team should be able to reach 62,000 people in Magwi county alone. Once community leaders are trained and the boreholes are repaired, the team will move on to other affected counties in Eastern Equatoria,” she says.

For more information please contact

Jennifer Pro
IOM Juba
Email: jpro@iom.int