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Jonglei is among a handful of states experiencing renewed armed conflict, with clashes between government and opposition forces.
“Access challenges in Jonglei state have put the lives of mothers and their children in danger,” said Noala Skinner, UNICEF Representative of the State of South Sudan.
Since January, increased fighting, mass displacement and unsafe routes have cut services and forced health facilities to close, leaving many families without reliable access to health services, clean water, shelter and nutritional support.
Children are screened for malnutrition
UNICEF delivered more than eight tonnes of critical supplies through the Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) to remote communities in Wiechjol, a town in Akobo District, and in Waat, Nyirol District.
The items provided include therapeutic food for children suffering from acute malnutrition, water treatment and hygiene equipment, and essential medical supplies.
The team screened 1,666 children under five for acute malnutrition. They admitted 146 children for life-saving treatment and referred 602 children with moderate acute malnutrition for further care.
In addition, 331 caregivers were counseled on how to improve nutritional levels in infants and young children.
Skinner cited the Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions (SMART) survey which found that global acute malnutrition rates in Akobo West exceeded 40 percent – among the highest in the country.
“The RRM mission is important, but operating conditions in northern Jonglei remain challenging,” he said.
Health and water services were restored
In the health sector, the team provided basic health services to 1,241 patients, including 250 toddlers, and treated common diseases such as malaria, acute respiratory infections, acute watery diarrhea and skin diseases.
The team, working in the field of water, sanitation and hygiene, provided water filters and purification kits to 1,200 families, while 200 women and girls received dignity and hygiene kits. They also reached more than 2,000 people with messages about hygiene promotion and disease prevention.
Damaged and non-functioning water infrastructure, poor sanitation, and limited access to health services continue to encourage preventable diseases in children. Ongoing conflict and displacement also increase the risk of family separation, gender-based violence and recruitment of children by armed groups, UNICEF said.
More help is needed
“For many families, this is the first help they have seen in months. But our findings show how much more help is needed, and how quickly conditions could worsen if access in these areas continues to be restricted,” stressed Ms.
UNICEF is calling for action in four areas:
- Safe, predictable and sustainable humanitarian access to conflict-affected communities
- An end to serious violations against children, including recruitment, and greater investment in protection services for women and children, including prevention of gender-based violence, child abduction and other protection risks.
- Ongoing support for emergency response activities including the RRM mission and to prevent supply disruptions including therapeutic food, medicine and clean water.
- Sustainable partnerships and flexible humanitarian funding to maintain operational readiness, prepare critical supplies, mobilize multidisciplinary response teams and enable rapid deployment of life-saving assistance whenever and wherever an emergency occurs.
