South Sudan
South Sudan
Humanitarian context
The Republic of South Sudan became the world’s newest nation on July 9, 2011, following a peaceful secession from the Sudan. Since December 2013, South Sudan has been ravaged by civil war. Despite the signing of a Peace Agreement on in August 2015, peace is still not consolidated and fighting continues in a large part of the country.
South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a weak and underdeveloped economy, poor infrastructure, high maternal and child mortality and widespread hunger and malnutrition.
As of March 2017, there are 1.9 million people Internally Displaced and 1.6 million South Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries.
The overall food security situation in South Sudan is rapidly deteriorating. 5.5 million people are expected to be severely food insecure at the height of the lean season in July 2017.
Access to health care is poor and causes of death in children under five are due to preventable and curable diseases such as malaria and acute watery diarrhoea, measles and complications due to severe malnutrition.
Key figures
implementation
Description of the mission
Première Urgence Internationale is present in Aweil North, in former Northern Bahr el Ghazal State since April 2015. Although not a conflict area, Northern Bhar el Ghazal is affected by food insecurity and high malnutrition rates in children under five years and pregnant and lactating women. An assessment done in March 2017 showed that 4 in 10 children were acute malnourished in the assessed population and more than 50% have to walk more than one hour to reach a health facility.
The mission is aiming an integrated approach providing access to quality primary health care, treatment of acute malnutrition and improving food security.
The aim for 2017 is to further develop the integrated approach as to have a greater impact in Aweil North and to expand activities to other geographical areas.
Premiere Urgence Internationale in action
Première Urgence Internationale provides Health services in Majak Kaar Primary Health Care Centre. In the beginning of 2017, Première Urgence Internationale has extended the health facility in order to be prepared for the next malaria season.
As of April 2017, Première Urgence Internationale is treating acute malnutrition for children under 5 and Pregnant and Lactating Women in 11 nutrition sites in Aweil North. In each of the villages, a network of volunteers do house visits, to screen children for malnutrition, give health education as infant and young child feeding and prevention of malaria. Mother to mother support groups are active supporting each other.
Première Urgence Internationale is planning a food security and livelihood program in 2017 to increase the production of food, by reinforcing technical knowledge and skills and supporting existing and new local economic activities.
