By Lodu William Odiya
At least 3,200 persons with mobility impairments received assistive devices in three Physical Rehabilitation Services (PRC), annually in the Country.
The support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) covers three Physical Rehabilitation Services (PRCs) in Juba, Wau, and Rumbek respectively.
According to a press releases, from January to mid-May, this year, more than 2,500 South Sudanese and 343 Sudanese had sought physical rehabilitation services in the PRCs. Others were encountered during outreach field clinics, leading to provision of Artificial legs, wheelchairs, crutches and other assistive devices.
One of the beneficiaries is a 32-year-old Musa Ali Musa, who was a casual home interior decorator in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan He had his life shattered in an explosion in December 2023, near a busy market in the suburbs of Hajj while on usual daily routine.
The conflict intensified around Khartoum, Musa and his family made the painful decision to flee Sudan. The journey to safety in South Sudan which took more than three months and eventually ended at Wedweil Refugee Settlement in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State in March 2025, where they joined thousands of other refugees and returnees from Sudan.
Trying to overwhelm his emotions, Musa recalls desperately the series of events that affected his life. “There was an explosion and the next thing I knew was that I was on ground bleeding,” said Musa.
Musa said despite Serious injury in both legs, he was taken to the nearest hospital in Khartoum.
However, his family struggled to get him the treatment he needed. “The hospital asked for a lot of money, which I did not have, so I was taken home,” Musa said.
He further added that it took four days for his family to raise the money. By then, sepsis had set in. It was at this point that doctor told him that the only option was to amputate both his legs below the knees, to prevent the contagion from spreading to the rest of the body. “The smell from the damaged tissue convinced me to agree immediately,” he says, quietly.
It was there that Musa first heard about the ICRC and its assistance to persons with amputation and made his way to the PRC in Juba, a decision that would change his life again.
According to Apeleo Samson Emor, a physiotherapist at the PRC, Musa arrived at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) – supported Physical Rehabilitation Center (PRC) in Juba on 24th March 2025, when he was crawling, but now, Musa is walking again with the help of a pair of crutches, ready for a fresh start in life.
“When he arrived, he was crawling,” recalls Apeleo Samson Emor, a physiotherapist at the PRC. The team at the PRC assessed Musa’s condition and needs. With healed wounds, strong joints, and a positive outlook, Musa was now ready for artificial limbs. “Our main goal was to improve his mobility and independence,” Emor explains.
However, Musa’s biggest concern was not only the loss of his limbs, it was also how his wife would react. “Please feel free to return to your parents’ home if you are going to have a problem spending the rest of your life with a legless husband,” he told her.
Musa was left speechless by her response. She chose to stay and offered him unwavering support throughout his recovery.
In his part, Tombura Joseph Kenyi, a prosthetist and orthotist, fabricated Musa’s artificial limbs. “It was a snug fit,” said Kenyi. In less than a month, Musa went from crawling to walking again. Each of the departments at the PRC—physiotherapy, prosthetics and orthotics, and psychosocial support—played a vital role in Musa’s recovery. “My main objective was to help him regain his ability to carry out daily activities,” said Kenyi.
He added that Musa confidently moves through the center in his wheelchair, adjusting his seat and smiling at the team who helped him rebuild his life, while waiting for his prostheses, which were being fabricated in the workshop to walk again, Musa’s dignity has been restored.
“He is able to stand erect and is learning how to walk with his new artificial legs showing a lot of zest and appreciation to the team who helped him rebuild his life,” said Kenyi.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been supporting physical rehabilitation services in South Sudan in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare. The support included provision of local and imported raw materials, components, equipment and machinery to produce assistive devices, scholarships for formal education abroad and in-country, on-the-job mentoring for clinical and technical staff and sector-level capacity strengthening.
They also contributed to an enabling policy and legal environment for disability inclusion through its support to the domestication of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), to which South Sudan is a signatory.
In addition, the ICRC implemented a social inclusion program that facilitated access to education for children with disabilities, and access to sports and income support for adults with disabilities.