EES Health Link Steps Up Fight Against Cholera, Trains More Home Health Promoters

This article was last updated on May 26, 2022

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The bacterial disease is spreading fast across EES with Torit the hardest hit area, followed by Lopa/Lafon, Magwi and Kapoeta North. Open air defecation, the consumption of unsafe water from River Kinaite and mismanagement of cholera deaths by affected communities, have been cited as the main drivers of cholera in EES.

To combat the spread of the disease, the state Ministry of Health and partners have scaled up anti-cholera operations, including the training of HHPs and community leaders to help spread the key messages of prevention and management. The training on 8th of July was organized by Health Link South Sudan, with support from UNICEF. It attracted at least five HHPs from Lobalua, Melekia, Inyif and Illuhum respectively, plus four chiefs.  

Speaking to the trainees, the Director General (DG) in the state Health Ministry, Mr. Silversto Omini, thanked Health Link South Sudan for its dedicated commitment to fight the disease. He also rebuked communities for failing to prevent cholera, which he said is preventable if community members had latrines in their homes.

“Cholera will not leave us if we don’t dig pit latrines. People in Addis Ababa (Torit) are defecating in River Kinaite and this water is fetched and drank by people,” Omini stated, assuring the public that: “We are working hard with Health Link to fight this cholera.” He further lamented an apparent backwards step in disease prevention, saying that in earlier times, cholera was unheard of.  

Ms Janet Orlando, a state Health Promoter, urged the HHPs to lead by example. Orlando said: “You have to go and dig your own pit latrines. If you don’t have a pit latrine, how will you tell someone to dig one?”

Meanwhile, Health Link South Sudan’s Health Programme Coordinator Moses Akera hailed the participants for their keen attendance and urged them to put what they have learnt into practice.

Health Link South Sudan has set up at least three Oral Rehydration Points (ORPs) in Lobalua, Hai Lotuho and Inyif. The trained HHPs and one nurse will be stationed at the ORPs to respond to cholera emergencies before referring to Cholera Treatment Centres (CTC).