By Matik Kueth
Ruweng Administrative Area (RAA) Health Minister Elizabeth Achol on Friday, expressed concern over the rising malformations in newborns, which the community attributes to oil pollution. She reported four infant deaths due to deformities potentially linked to oil-related environmental impacts between July and December 2024.
“Regarding the issue of environmental exposure or chemical exposure, there is a big belief, or there is a belief in the community of rural and administrative area that all the deformed children born of abnormalities and deformities in the rural and administrative areas are related to environmental issues or oil issues in the environment. Though the laboratory or there is no specific result that shows that really oil, oil is one of the contributing factors to children born with deformities or abnormalities. So of course, from July up to December last year, 2024, we had four cases of deformed children born in the area,” Achol said.
In an effort to discover the facts, Achol stated that samples were dispatched to South Africa for thorough testing to ascertain whether oil exposure could be a factor in the birth abnormalities.
“And scientifically, it has to be proven scientifically, as I talked to you now, or some years ago, there were some samples taken to South Africa for testing, to test and find out if the oil is really the contributing factor to children born of deformities. So, on Monday, the results are already in Juba. On Monday, the team that went to South Africa are going to discuss the issues related to the results,” she stated.
She stressed the seriousness of the situation, emphasizing the need for scientific confirmation to guide public health decisions.
As the year unfolds, Achol expressed cautious optimism, stressing that, “There have been no registered cases of infant abnormalities so far this year, but we remain vigilant.”
The Ruweng Administrative Area stands at a critical crossroads, grappling with the imperative for economic progress through oil development while addressing urgent public health and environmental concerns.