South Sudan Crisis - Emergency Health Care in Lakes State - MSF 2014

July 2014 - The complex humanitarian situation in South Sudan has become much worse since fighting broke out between government and anti-government forces in Juba the capital city in December 2013. The fighting has displaced some 1.1 million people from their homes within South Sudan and more than 400 000 people have sought refuge in neighbouring countries (Kenya Ethiopia Sudan and Uganda). Agricultural production has been disrupted and essential basic services such as water points schools and medical facilities have been shut down or destroyed in the fighting. Immediate humanitarian assistance needs both within South Sudan and in neighbouring countries include food health care shelter protection water sanitation and hygiene. With DFATD’s support Doctors Without Borders Canada is providing emergency health care for 90 000 conflict-affected people in Awerial County Lakes State South Sudan. Project activities include: (1) establishing and maintaining emergency primary health clinics in the Minkamman camp for internally displaced people benefitting 75 000 camp residents and 5 000 people from the host community; (2) providing safe drinking water and vaccinations including cholera vaccines for all camp residents and up to 10 000 displaced people on the nearby islands of Matiang; (3) providing emergency obstetric services; and (4) providing services such as counselling and psychosocial support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

The expected immediate outcomes for this project include: (1) increased access to emergency health care for conflict-affected people in Lakes State South Sudan; (2) increased access to safe drinking water and vaccinations; (3) increased access to emergency reproductive and obstetric-related care for pregnant women; and (4) increased access to services for survivors of gender and sexual-based violence. The expected intermediate outcome is reduced vulnerability of crisis-affected people especially women and children.