By Ijoo Bosco
South Sudan and Uganda hold a three-day dialogue on strengthening regional cooperation for disease prevention, detection, and response.
Convened at Nimule, the meeting attracted government representatives, health partners and other stakeholders, from the two countries.
The coordination meeting provided a platform to discuss various matters aimed at enhancing implementation of one-stop border posts and other health measures between the two partner states.
Speaking during the opening of the dialogue, Magwi County Commissioner Pole Pole Benjamin Oluma commended the humanitarian spirit of the two neighbouring countries in coordinating cross-border issues for the interests of the local communities, as each individual life matters.
Pole Pole called for continued coordination and teamwork among the core group of partner organizations operating along the border communities to control the threat of disasters from entering the state.
Lamunu Doris, the Secretariat Director for the Core Group Partners Project, noted that the key highlights of the coordination dialogue were the in-depth discussions on matters of common concern, which aimed to streamline processes and enhance measures at border entry points.
Lamunu urged the cross-border health partners to take action to address the challenges at the poor crossing points, where many communities take advantage to move from one region to another.
She also called for the dissemination of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for cross-border communities at points of entry and cross-border surveillance.
Presentations from both partner states’ delegations called for strengthening coordination and communication on threats to public health and response to epidemics.
Kediende Chong, the Director General for Public Health Emergency Response, urged the two neighbouring states to work together to improve collaboration on cross-border surveillance and response against notable diseases in humans and animals.
Chong stressed that it is the responsibility of all stakeholders from both regions to develop mechanisms to address the challenges experienced at the cross-border entry points.
The Commissioner for Performance Inspection in the Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda, only identified as Emmanuel, welcomed the joint meeting for sharing concerns of public interest and seeking better alternatives together as a humanitarian team.
Emmanuel called on partners to foster collaboration with the proximal emergency operation centers at both border entry points to support disease response efforts.