By Taban Gabriel
To curb the cholera outbreak in South Sudan, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has established a 20-bed Cholera Treatment Unit (CTU) at Renk Civil Hospital in Upper Nile State. This facility aims to contain the spread of the deadly bacterial infection.
So far, the MSF-supported CTU has recorded two deaths and treated 45 cases in Renk alone, with most patients arriving from Sudan, according to a press release on Thursday.
MSF reports that the outbreak is fueled by contaminated water sources, open defecation, and overcrowded living conditions at facilities hosting refugees and returnees.
“Given the inadequate, overcrowded living conditions and continued influx of refugees and returnees from Sudan into the cities of Renk and Malakal, there is an imminent urgent need for a response to improve the water, sanitation and hygiene situation to prevent further spread of the disease,” says Emanuele Montobbio, MSF’s Field Coordinator for Renk Emergency Programme.
“In the past weeks, an average of up to 800 people are entering Renk daily from Sudan, fleeing from the war in the country,” Montobbio added
Meanwhile, In Malakal, a town less than 300kms away from Renk, MSF teams have observed a sharp rise in cholera cases as it registered 65 patients within a week.
The exterior of the Cholera Treatment Unit (CTU) at Renk Civil Hospital, equipped with essential water bladders to ensure clean and safe water. MSF has set up this 20-bed facility to respond rapidly to the cholera outbreak, with plans to expand to 40 beds if needed. (Photo Credit: Hussein MSF)
The spread of the epidemic to Malakal prompted the establishment of a cholera treatment unit at MSF’s Malakal Town Hospital.
MSF has also established a Cholera Treatment Center (CTC) in Assosa, 10km away from Malakal Town Hospital, with a capacity of up to 100 beds.
Meanwhile, at the Malakal’s protection of Civilians (PoC) site, which hosts thousands of people in close proximity, MSF teams are treating cholera patients, heightening the risk of rapid spread.
The medical charity Organization calls on other organizations to quickly establish treatment facilities within the PoC “to prevent loss”
“The current response pace might not match the urgency of the situation. We’re calling for stronger, collaborative efforts from all partners in Renk, and beyond to manage the spread and prevent a further and a wider crisis, as soon as possible,” says Montobbio.
On 28th October 2024, The National Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of Cholera in South Sudan following a report of 44 suspected cholera cases and six laboratory-confirmed cases on Oct. 23 in Renk, Upper Nile State