By Jacob Onuha Nelson
At least three children have died, and 18 others are in critical condition due to a suspected cholera outbreak in Haforiere Boma, Kiyala Payam, Torit County, Eastern Equatoria State.
Abondio Amanya, a medical officer and a family member of one of the deceased, described the situation as horrific, particularly for villages lacking access to medical care.
“It is so sad to report that we have lost three children from Haforiere Boma due to the cholera outbreak,” he lamented.
In a phone interview, Patrick Aiteng Mathias, a sub-chief of Haforiere Boma, stated that three children had died on Sunday, in addition to others who had gone to Kiyala for treatment.
“The outbreak has severely affected children and the elderly,” Aiteng said.
The community is deeply troubled by the outbreak, which has disrupted the cultivation season.
“The patients and residents are worried about the disease,” Aiteng added.
Galileo Ohide Juliano, the paramount chief of Kiyala Payam, commented on the children’s deaths, attributing them to the long distances that patients must travel to receive timely medical care.
“The children died because patients have to walk approximately 5.6 kilometers to reach Kiyala PHCC for further treatment,” Ohide emphasized.
He appealed to the state government to implement measures to address the cholera outbreak in the Kiyala Payam Bomas.
“We urge the state government to rescue the lives of vulnerable individuals who are far from Kiyala PHCC, which is 2.5 miles away,” Ohide stated.
The community is pleading with the Eastern Equatoria State government to send medical assistance to help patients before the situation worsens.