Republic of South Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletins 2012/ 2013

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Republic of South Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletins 2012/ 2013

WHO Health Emergency Highlights
Emergency Risk Management and Humanitarian Response April 2013

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Health%20Emergency%20Highlights%20April%202013.pdf

The Republic of South Sudan
Situation highlights
The health situation across the Republic of South Sudan remains fragile and unpredictable. There are high risks of communicable diseases, floods and drought, low access to safe drinking water, food insecurity, and poor sanitation. Environmental factors contribute to the spread of diseases such as water and vector-borne diseases like diarrhoeal diseases, hepatitis, malaria and dengue fever.
Population displacements and movements secondary to internal and external conflict compound the public health threats. According to UNHCR there are 223 888 registered refugees in the Republic of South Sudan. Since the start of January, about 4700 people returned to the Republic of South Sudan from the Sudan (OCHA, February 2013).
Measles, meningitis and hepatitis E were the most common epidemic-prone diseases recorded in April. The hepatitis E outbreak was mainly concentrated in refugee camps in Upper Nile and Unity states with 662 cases and 12 deaths registered. In April, 154 cases of measles (no deaths) were registered across the country.
...

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Republic of South Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletins 2012/ 2013

South Sudan Humanitarian Update
January-April 2013
...
Controlling Hepatitis E

Health organizations working in refugee camps in Upper Nile State
have been working to control a Hepatitis E outbreak which was
announced by the Ministry of Health in July 2012. Since the disease
broke out in Maban County, over 8,800 people have been infected
and about 200 people have died. Maban hosts about 116,000
refugees. Hepatitis E spiked in January and February 2013, leading
to a scale-up of water and sanitation activities. Health officials of the
UN refugee agency (UNHCR) indicated that the population growth in
Maban was a key reason for the spread in the disease.

A water, sanitation and hygiene campaign was implemented across
all four refugee sites in Upper Nile; 700 new latrines were constructed
in Yusuf Batil settlement, where the disease was most prevalent, and
water containers were replaced and soap was distributed. Hygiene
promoters continued to spread messages to educate people about
the disease. Consequently Hepatitis E was brought under control
in Maban by the end of March, but it will be some time before the
disease is expected to be eliminated. Partners remain vigilant for
new cases and health and hygiene activities continue.

In neighbouring Unity State, the disease has reportedly stabilized,
with 270 people infected and 15 deaths since the outbreak was
announced in August 2012.

...

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA%20South%20Sudan%20Humanitarian%20Update%20Jan_April%202013.pdf

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Republic of South Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletins 2012/ 2013

Humanitarian Bulletin
South Sudan
20-26 May 2013
...

Meningitis vaccination concluded after reaching up to 124,000 people
The mass-immunization campaign in Upper Nile State which was launched to contain the
meningitis outbreak declared on 30 April was concluded during the reporting period. An
estimated 123,520 people, covering 80 per cent of the target population of people
between two and 30 years of age, were vaccinated by 24 May. As of 26 May, the number
of registered meningitis cases was 141, with seven related deaths.
...

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/OCHA%20South%20Sudan%20Weekly%20Humanitarian%20Bulletin%2020-26%20May%202013-1.pdf

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Republic of South Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletins 2012/ 2013

South Sudan
Emergency humanitarian situation report
Issue 13
29 April ? 26 May 2013
...
Public Health Concerns
Health Situation
 Cases of meningitis continue to be reported in Upper Nile state. A total of 141 cases and seven deaths have so far been line listed and managed in the treatment centre in Malakal Teaching Hospital.
 Humanitarian access in Jonglei state remains limited. Conflict related displacement continued in Pibor, Jonglei state and the surrounding counties of Pochalla and Kapoeta, Eastern Equatoria state. Most of the health facilities in Pibor have been looted and abandoned, communities are fleeing to the bushes with no access to health services. Over 12,000 people remain displaced with over 227,000 affected by the hostilities.
 During this period, cases of measles continued rising in Yirol West and Yirol East, Lakes state, bringing the total number of cases reported from these two counties to 34. Four cases were also reported at Yambio hospital, Western Equatoria, and one from Budi, Eastern Equatoria state. Currently outbreaks have been confirmed in five counties of Juba, Central Equatoria State, Aweil East, Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, Yirol, Lakes states, Torit, Eastern Equatoria state and Yambio, Western Equatoria state.
 As the rainy season sets in, most states have started experiencing flash floods leaving some areas inaccessible cut off. It?s expected that as flooding continues in various state, service delivery for health in over fifty percent (50%) of the 80 counties will be affected.
 New internally displaced persons have been reported in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state in the areas of Jarkol/walang/Garam and Chalek. The Health cluster partners in Aweil are responding an estimated 10,000 internally displaced persons in these locations.
 In Upper Nile and Unity states, the hepatitis E outbreak continued in the refugee camps of Maban and Yida. In this reporting period a total 1117 new cases and 2 deaths were recorded in the refugee camps in Maban and Yida. Health partners continue to carry out interventions to contain the outbreak that has seen over 10,339 cases recorded since the onset of the outbreak. Both Yida and Maban counties host 223,969 refugees who fled from the Sudan.


Communicable Diseases

 In this section of the report, figures reported are those of week 19 of the surveillance weeks. During this period a total of 117 suspected Acute Jaundice Syndrome (AJS) cases with one (1) related deaths were recorded from health facilities across the country. Over 90.7% of the new AJS cases were recorded from Maban refugee camps and 9.3% from Yida camps. There were no
cases reported from the host communities in Maban and Yida. As shown in figures 1 and 2, the cumulative AJS cases recorded from Maban refugee camps was 9,990 and 176 related deaths, while 349 AJS cases and 12 related deaths were recorded from Yida since the beginning of the outbreak. Cases reported from Yida dropped slightly during this reporting week. The new cases recorded in Maban refugee camps continued to decline for the 13th week in a row. When compared to previous weeks, AJS/HEV cases from Batil reduced significantly since mid-February although the attack rate remains the highest of all the camps. Gendrassa and Jamam reported high numbers of AJS/HEV cases this week compared to the past weeks. In general the epidemic is on the decline. This is the sixth week in which cases below 200 have been registered since December 2012.
Community awareness, good sanitation and hygiene practices need to be stepped up in areas where WASH levels are still below standards. The Ministry of Health, WHO, UNHCR, and other health and WASH partners continued to implement different activities to improve the control of the outbreak. No case has been reported from the host community in this week 19.
 As of 27 May 2012, a total of 141 cases of meningitis were reported from Malakal county with five related deaths while two others were reported from Jonglei state. Eight cases were also reported from Aweil West county. The Ministry of health declared an outbreak of meningitis in Malakal in week 16, case management and community sensitization have been stepped up, as arrangements to vaccinate 154,000 people in the 6 payams of Malakal started.
 WHO carried out investigation visits to areas where Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) cases were reported. The cases were reported from Lopa, Magwi and Ikotos counties, in Eastern Equatoria state; Ayod and Urror counties, in Jonglei state, and Ezo County in Western Equatoria State. Samples were collected and sent to Juba for onward transmission to Nairobi for further analysis. In Lakes and Unity states, AFP surveillance visits were undertaken to Rumbek East and Nyal counties respectively.
...

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Republic of South Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletins 2012/ 2013

REFUGEE SURVEILLANCE UPDATE
(MABAN AND YIDA)
Epidemiological Week 27 1st ? 7th July 2013

Highlights
 The proportion of health facilities in Maban that submitted the weekly reports to the state and central level was 20 out of 24 bringing completeness to 83.3%. (See list of health facilities in Maban and supporting partners on page 2). All facilities serving the refugees in Maban reported on time in week 27, while those serving the host communities were 12 out of 16 facilities.
 All the three health facilities serving Yida refugee camp reported on time this week.
 Malaria was the leading priority disease recorded in the refugee camps (56.7%), followed by Acute watery diarrhea (31.9%), AJS (8.6%), and Acute bloody diarrhea (2.8%).
 Two hundred and seventeen (217) suspected Acute Jaundice Syndrome (AJS) cases (or Hepatitis E cases) and 4 related deaths were recorded from Maban and Yida in week 27.
 No case was reported from the host community this week.
 Gendrassa reported 38.9% of the cases, followed by Doro 36.9%, kaya 16.8%, and Batil 7.4%.
 The cumulative AJS cases recorded from Maban refugee camps are 11,122 and 202 related deaths, while Yida has recorded 479 cases and 13 deaths.
 Two measles cases were reported this week from Batil and Kaya camps.
 No cases of meningitis, cholera, or viral haemorrhagic fever were reported this week.
...
Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)
A total of 803 AWD cases were reported in Maban and Yida refugee camps during this reporting week with no related deaths. AWD accounted for 31.9% of the priority diseases reported this week. Proportion of cases below five years was at 65.1% of all reported AWD cases in all the camps.
...
Dysentery (ABD)
A total of 70 cases of ABD with no related deaths were reported in week 27 from the refugee camps in Maban and Yida. This week recorded fewer cases compared to the previous week (75). Proportion of cases in children below five years decreased to 45.7 from 50.7% the previous week.
...
Malaria
Malaria incidence in Maban refugee camps this week was almost double (1081) compared to 615 cases in the previous week with no related deaths. Out of all the cases, 21.9% were reported in children below five years of age in both Maban and Yida. In Maban County, 503 cases of malaria with no related deaths were reported from facilities serving the host community. Malaria cases in the host community decreased this week compared to those recorded in the previous week (574). The under 5 years old in the host community had a higher incidence of malaria (41.8%) than those in the refugee camps (21.9%). The incidence of malaria among children has for a long time been higher in the host community than in the refugee camps in Maban.
...
Acute Jaundice Syndrome (AJS)
A total of two hundred and seventeen (217) suspected Acute Jaundice Syndrome cases (or Hepatitis E cases) and four related deaths were recorded from Maban and Yida in week 27. (Figures 4 and 5 show AJS Epi-Curve in Maban and Yida). No case was reported from the host community this week. As shown in figure 4 and 5, cumulative AJS cases and related deaths recorded from Maban and Yida refugee camps were 11,122 and 202, and 479 and 13 respectively since the outbreak till week 27.
...

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Week27-RefugeeSurveillanceUpdate.pdf

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Republic of South Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletins 2012/ 2013

Humanitarian Bulletin
South Sudan
23 - 29 September 2013

...
Government declares polio outbreak
The Government of South Sudan confirmed three cases of polio, one in
Eastern Equatoria and two in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, and declared the outbreak a national health emergency on 26 September.

Girls aged 2 and 8 years in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, and a 2-year-old girl in Eastern Equatoria State were confirmed as having the wild polio virus after tests were conducted at the Kenya Medical
Research Institute in Nairobi.

South Sudan had been polio-free since
June 2009. However, since the polio outbreak in Somalia was confirmed in May
this year and cases reported in Kenya and Ethiopia, medical authorities in South Sudan have
been on high alert to look out for possible cases.

The Government is working closely with health partners in-country and around the world to
prevent the spread of the wild polio virus. An emergency vaccination campaign in the areas
where the polio virus was detected was launched and will continue through to 4 October in
Eastern Equatoria, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap states. This will compliment ongoing
efforts by the government and health partners in conducting preventive polio vaccination
campaigns since August, in areas considered most at risk of the polio outbreak, especially
along border areas. Additional campaigns are planned for all the states from October to
December to ensure children are protected from the polio virus.

Polio is an infectious disease transmitted from an infected person through water or food contaminated
with faecal matter. The disease has no cure, frequently kills children, leaves many
children disabled, and is highly contagious. Vaccination is the only means of protection.

Upper Nile reports 43 suspected cases of measles
Partners reported 43 suspected cases of measles in Malakal County, Upper Nile State, since
August this year. 10 of 15 samples collected from patients tested positive for measles, according
to Upper Nile State Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization. The affected,
who are children aged between 6 and 18 months, continue to receive treatment at
Malakal hospital.

The Ministry of Health working with health partners have reactivated national and state
measles taskforces to coordinate response operation, and are strengthening surveillance at
facility and community levels. A mass measles vaccination campaign was launched targeting
over 31,300 children in Malakal County.

Between January and May, outbreaks were recorded in Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria,
Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatorial and Upper Nile states.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease, which affects mostly children. It is transmitted
via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. Measles can be prevented
by immunization.
...

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Weekly_Humanitarian_Bulletin_23_29_September_2013.pdf

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Republic of South Sudan: Humanitarian Bulletins 2012/ 2013

Humanitarian Bulletin
South Sudan
30 September - 6 October 2013
...
Polio campaign reaches half a million children
A polio vaccination campaign reached some 533,500 children, aged 15 years
and under. The campaign was launched after the Government declared a national health emergency on 26 September after confirming three cases of polio.

Following the declaration of a polio outbreak in Eastern Equatoria and Northern
Bahr el Ghazal states, health partners and State Ministries of Health launched
emergency polio vaccination campaigns to prevent further spread of the polio virus.

The campaign targeted Ikotos County in Eastern Equatoria and Aweil South County in Northern Bahr el Ghazal where cases were detected. Counties such as Budi in Eastern Equatoria State and Gogrial East County in Warrap where polio has not been reported were also targeted because of their proximity to areas of the polio outbreak. Health partners provided materials and financial resources to support the campaign, including conducting social
mobilization.

Three additional rounds of polio national immunization days are planned for all states from November to December. Before the outbreak, South Sudan had been polio-free for over four years, since the last case was reported in June 2009.

Meanwhile, partners also supported local health authorities to respond to a measles outbreak in Malakal County, Upper Nile where 43 cases were reported, ten of which were confirmed.
Health partners conducted detailed investigations of the cases reported at Malakal Teaching Hospital, while supporting planned measles vaccination campaigns.
...

http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Weekly%20Humanitarian%20Bulletin%2030%20Sept%20-%206%20Oct%202013.pdf