By William Madouk
Ministry of Health in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) has revived the Infectious Disease Unit (IDU) at Nimule in a bid to enhance cross-border disease surveillance.
To provide health security, authorities and WHO, established and handed over a 15-bed infectious disease facility to the Magwi County Health Department on the Nimule border.
According to the 2024 Joint External Evaluation (JEE), border health and points of entry are among the poorest areas that need to be improved.
Dr Harriet Pasquale Akello, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Health cited that the aim is to protect communities by preparing and responding timely to outbreaks and other public health threats.
“The establishment of the Infectious Disease Unit at the Nimule point of entry will help South Sudan to expand the response capacity to timely detect, assess, report and respond promptly and effectively to public health risks,” she said.
“I am grateful and would like to extend my thanks to WHO and ECHO for the generous support,” she noted.
In her part, Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative for South Sudan stated that health experts were dispatched to Nimule and Kajokeji to conduct Ebola risk assessment.
“Our primary focus is to enhance surveillance efforts, which includes screening all travellers at major entry points with Uganda. screening has already started in several high-risk areas,” Karamagi said.
“With support from WHO, a multidisciplinary team of public health experts is currently dispatched to Nimule, and Kajokeji to conduct risk assessment and define priorities for strengthening early detection, investigation, and response to Ebola Virus Disease,” he added.
South Sudan initiated the establishment of this facility in 2022, following the declaration of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Uganda.
This facility is a product of continued investments in capacity building for emergency preparedness and response.
Given the epidemiological links between the two sisterly countries, the current outbreak of Sudan’s Virus Disease in Uganda is the ideal time to operationalize this facility.
This is consistent with International Health Standards (IHR (2005), which require governments to identify and improve capacities at entry points to reduce the risk of cross-border disease spread and maintain international public health security.
In response, the JEE advised capacity evaluations, and contingency planning for port health service development, including international traveler screening, information exchange, and minimal care facilities for the isolation/containment of suspected infectious disease patients.
JEE recommended prioritizing the expansion of IHR capacity at Juba International Airport (JIA) and other specified points of entry in Nimule, as well as other border crossings.
South Sudan has consistently faced an elevated danger of new diseases such as the Ebola virus, yellow fever, cholera, the continuing COVID-19, and others that pose a concern to worldwide public health security due to cross-border disease transmission.
WHO stated that they are collaborating with the Ministry of Health and other partners to decrease the impact on health and well-being.
However, the country continues to be vulnerable to future disasters.