UN migration agency intensifies response to Cholera outbreak in South Sudan

Juba, Nov 5 (IANS) The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations (UN) migration agency, announced Tuesday that it has intensified its response to a cholera outbreak in South Sudan’s Renk, a primary arrival point for hundreds of thousands fleeing the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

The IOM noted that the outbreak in Renk, declared on October 28 by the Ministry of Health, poses a serious risk to vulnerable populations already facing severe challenges.

“The response team on the ground is working tirelessly to ensure that those affected receive the necessary care and support, while preventive measures are being implemented to limit further spread,” Aaron Adkins, IOM’s emergency response coordinator in South Sudan, said in a statement issued in Juba, the country’s capital.

The outbreak was declared after six cholera cases were confirmed in Renk, which also hosts a transit center sheltering over 13,000 arrivals. The Ministry of Health has reported 59 suspected cases, underscoring the critical nature of the situation.

The IOM said the influx of displaced individuals arriving in overcrowded conditions with limited access to clean water and sanitation has heightened the risk of cholera transmission in transit centers and surrounding host communities. In response, it has launched comprehensive emergency measures in close coordination with local health authorities and partner organisations, Xinhua news agency reported.

More than 684,000 people fleeing the conflict in Sudan have arrived through the Wunthuo Point of Entry (PoE) in Renk, where the IOM has established a presence to support disease surveillance and identify suspected cholera cases. IOM-trained clinicians are stationed at the point and in transit centers in both Renk and Malakal to facilitate rapid detection and reporting.

To provide immediate care, the IOM has set up oral rehydration points at both the PoE clinic and the transit centers, offering life-saving hydration to those affected. “IOM’s multi-faceted response, working with other humanitarian organisations under the coordination of the public health emergency operations centre, aims to contain the outbreak and protect those most at risk,” it said.

Additionally, the UN agency has strengthened local response capacity by training clinicians on case definitions, identification, and the use of rapid diagnostic tests. “These trainings are crucial for prompt detection and response to cholera cases, ensuring that patients receive timely and effective care,” it said.

–IANS

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