Category: Health Maintenance

The Eastern Equatoria State health ministry on Monday launched the third phase of the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccination campaign in Torit town.

The campaign targets those aged 18 and above.

Dr. Ethin Condord, the director general in the state health ministry warned that Covid-19 is still active and called on citizens to continue adhering to preventive measures. He expressed disappointment over the poor turnout during the second phase.

“Coronavirus is real and here to stay with us, so we also need to take measures on how to stay with it. WHO brought some statistics that the vaccine actually targeted 70 percent of the population but only 20 percent turned up for the vaccines, not only here but worldwide,” he said.

“For this reason, we need the uptake of the vaccine in our state to rise up to 70 percent because it is safe and very important,” he added.

The acting director of health in Torit County, Oboyi Joseph, said the campaign will run for a week and encouraged the population to take the vaccine, saying it is safe.

“It is going to be the third phase in Torit County. The first phase was conducted by the Cordaid last year and the second by Health Pool Fund,” he said. “Today we are going to look to our own youths who have turned 18 and above. The Covid-19 vaccine is safe and not dangerous.”

Alice Achan Jacob, a resident of Torit town, while waiting to take her jabs, said the vaccine is important since it will protect her.

“I took my first dose during the second phase of the vaccination campaign and did not have any side effects yet I am diabetic,” she said. “People should inject it because this vaccine has no side effects or complications.”

Another Torit resident, Mario Jackson, cautioned social media users not to discourage people from taking the vaccine.

“We need people to receive this vaccine and I am also urging the youth who were aged 17 and are now 18 to come for the vaccine because it is not harmful,” he urged. “Some of our intellectuals, especially those who do not want to receive the vaccine, are using Facebook to create fear among the people.”

Meanwhile, Jacob Atari Albano, the commissioner of Torit County, said there is still a need to educate the grass populations on the importance of the Covid-19 vaccines.

“Most of our people in the villages and in the town do not want to receive Covid-19 vaccine thinking that they will get complications and dies,” he said.

Source: Radio Tamazuj

The governor of Eastern Equatoria State, Louis Lobong, on Thursday sent a committee to investigate an attack on health workers in Imehejek in Lafon County that led to the withdrawal of humanitarians from the area.

The committee headed by Angelo James comprises parliamentarians, community leaders, representatives from the state health ministry, education ministry, and partners.

The state health minister, Lodae Pasquale, said the team will spend three days holding meetings on the ground.

“The team is already on their way to the meeting but another committee was formed by the community there and they have already held some preliminary meetings,” he said. “The team from Torit will go and base their discussions on the resolutions of the community committee and come up with the best way forward.”

Visor Lokali, a Member of Parliament representing SPLM-IO in the Eastern Equatoria State legislative assembly appealed to the local communities to cooperate and give accurate information to authorities so that the issue is resolved.

Meanwhile, Mengisto Ukach, the commissioner of Lafon County, welcomed the formation of the committee to probe the shooting incident and applauded the state leadership and community leaders for trying to find a solution to the problem.

Source: Radio Tamazuj

As the number of monkeypox cases continues to be reported, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared monkeypox a “public health emergency of international concern”.

Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. It usually occurs in Central and West Africa. Since May this year, monkeypox cases have been detected in countries that do not usually see it.

On Sunday, Sudan reported its first confirmed monkeypox case. The Federal Ministry of Health said the first case was detected in a 16-year student in West Darfur state, which borders South Sudan.

“People should be vigilant and not get into close contact with animals that show symptoms of the virus, but we should not panic because the virus version confirmed in Sudan is not fatal, “Dr Fathia al-Gailani, a Sudanese dermatologist and lecturer, told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday.

What is monkeypox?

Similar to smallpox, but less severe, monkeypox was discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research in Denmark, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Despite being called “monkeypox,” the source of the disease is not known. However, African rodents and non-human primates, like monkeys, may carry it and infect humans. The first human case was reported in 1970.

What are monkeypox symptoms?

In most cases, someone infected with monkeypox presents symptoms of a flu-like illness, including fever, headache and sore throat, says Dr Fathia. “Swollen lymph nodes can be the main sign, after which a rash like a spot appears. This the main sign that can differentiate monkeypox from the other similar viruses.”

Acceding to Dr Fathia, infection with the monkeypox virus begins with an incubation period. “A person is not contagious during this period. The incubation period can range from one to three weeks. After a person presents symptoms, the disease becomes contagious.”

How does monkeypox spread?

Monkeypox can spread in different ways. However, close contact with the virus from an infected animal, human or contaminated object is the main pathway. “The virus can also spread through sexual intercourse or from the mother to a baby,” she said.

How can you prevent monkeypox transmission?

There are several ways people can prevent monkeypox infection, including avoiding skin-to-skin contact with a monkeypox rash, not handling or touching bedding and clothing of a person who has monkeypox and washing hands often with soap and water.

“Any animal showing symptoms should not be eaten. Some animals should be avoided these days, such as squirrels and rats. People should avoid those animals so that we protect ourselves from monkeypox,” she said

Dr Fathia advises the public in Sudan and South Sudan to familiarize themselves with signs and symptoms, as well as prevention techniques but said people should not panic.

She pointed out that the West African strain of the monkeypox virus is generally associated with milder disease and fewer deaths. “A person presenting monekypox symptoms should be isolated. We also need to sanitize our hands from time to time,” she concluded.

Source: Radio Tamazuj

At least seven people, including two women, were killed in the Ngomatari village, Lowoi Payam of Torit County in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State on Saturday.

Augustine Martin, a resident of the area, told Radio Tamazuj that the victims were busy collecting firewood for sale when they were attacked by unknown gunmen.

“The incident happened on Saturday. People were shot at a place called Ngomattari, four were injured and seven were killed. It was done by unknown gunmen,” he explained. “The victims were cutting timber that side and they were attacked.”

He said the local youth are mobilizing to protect the area to avoid further attacks, although security forces were deployed to Lowoi.

Eastern Equatoria state information minister and government spokesperson Patrick Oting Cyprian confirmed the incident and said the state government is working to apprehend the culprits.

“What I can confirm to you is those who killed people there are unknown to us but the footmarks were traced yesterday. We, the government know where the footmarks lead to. The security forces were sent on the ground yesterday and we are investigating the matter and we are waiting for a report then as a government we see what to do from there,” he said.

Minister Oting condemned the attack saying it was unfortunate and called on the people of the area to remain vigilant when going about their businesses.

The Monyiemiji Forum (local youth group) also described the incident as unfortunate and said the youth will allow the government to carry out its duty to bring the culprits to book.

Stephen Namwang Karlo, the Monyiemiji Forum spokesperson said, “It is very unfortunate that our people are killed in cold blood and for us, as Monyiemiji we cannot rush because the security machines are working hard to see that they follow the footmarks and the perpetrators are brought to bring to book for justice to prevail,” he said.

“However, we would like as Monyiemiji at our level to inform communities living in those areas to be always alert of any strangers coming to their area,” Namwang noted.

He also passed his condolence message to the victim’s families reiterating that justice must be served.

Source: Radio Tamazuj

It has been over a decade since South Sudan gained its Independence. On the 9th of July 2022, South Sudan celebrated 11 years of independence since separating from the North through a plebiscite that saw southerners overwhelmingly in favor of an independent state.

Given the foundation of the country, one birthed after many years of protracted armed struggle driven on the core principles of Justice, Liberty and Prosperity, hopes were sky high among the populace and friends of the new country that with South Sudan managing its own affairs far from the helm of the then rogue Khartoum regime under deposed leader Omer Al Bashir, the new rulers would fulfill the promises of the liberation struggle.

At the end of the devastating civil war in 2005, the Southern leaders had the chance to build the impoverished region using its rich oil resources – the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) granted the then semi-autonomous region up to 50% share of oil revenue. In 2011, the country broke away with over three-quarters of the oil reserves of the old Sudan, pumping at least 350,000 bpd when it became a sovereign state. This would be the mainstay of the government contributing about 99 percent to the national budget until 2012 when it unprecedentedly closed oil production for almost a year following clashes in March and May of that year with the North over the control of the oil-rich Heglig area. Subsequently, disputes arose over pipeline transit fees and other oil-related payments to Sudan.

Ever since then the country has struggled to peak pre-independence oil production levels and revenues. That the 2013 conflict happened was a straw that broke the donkey’s back diminishing the new nation’s oil output by almost a third to a paltry 130,000 bpd at some point, crippling the oil-dependent economy to date.

The management of the oil industry is premised on the 2012 Petroleum Act and 2013 Petroleum Revenue management Act which provide specific provisions for the sector. However, these critical laws have not been meaningfully implemented. The Public Financial and Accountability Act, 2011 which guides general budget preparation, appropriation, borrowing, accountability, and audit of accounts, among others, has also generally been ignored. Had public finance been in accordance with these provisions, perhaps we would be writing a whole different story – a positive glimpse into prosperity propelled by the black crude.

Calls by local stakeholders including Civil Society Activists who have for long campaigned for a more transparent and accountable oil and gas governance should be heeded to. Equitable management of natural resources particularly “oil for the benefit of the people now yet without compromising the future, should be the government’s goal. Apply transparency and accountability in all transactions involving national, regional, and international investors in the natural resource sector as guided by the Petroleum Act, 2012 which requires disclosure of information on payments made to the government by the investors.

Despite its oil exports, South Sudan has failed to undertake significant infrastructural projects from its oil revenues, and the management of the oil revenues is marred in opaqueness. A recent report by the country’s Vice President in charge of Economic cluster H.E Dr. James Wani Igga indicated the country lost more than 4$ billion in uncollected oil taxes over the last 10 years. He lamented malpractices and maladministration as reasons for this colossal loss and urged enacting measures to recover the money.

Also, excessive borrowing against oil should carefully be reviewed. The new model dubbed “oil for development” adopted by the President in 2017 in taking Chinese resource-backed loans for infrastructure development is shredded in opacity and off-budget spending. There are concerns that road construction projects are badly run and prices are inflated and or billions are unaccounted for.

In the past, some of the conflicts have been triggered by the need by political actors to control the enormous oil wealth. Many citizens are still wondering how their country could produce so much oil wealth while so little filtered into creating opportunities for the bulging youth population, schools, clinics, electricity, and clean water supplies.

A rethink in the management oil the oil sector is needed and the climate crisis highlights the urgency of diversifying the economy away from petroleum. A shift to clean energy is now a global agenda, and more and more countries are unveiling ambitious carbon neutrality strategies. The ongoing Environmental Audit spearheaded by the Ministry of Petroleum provides a benchmark to understand the true effects of the oil production since drilling started in the late 1990s, however, this should meet international standards.

Also worrying to the South Sudanese authorities should be the accelerating momentum of climate action by the global powers as enhanced in the recently concluded COP26 agreement known as Glasgow Climate Pact, aimed at staving off dangerous climate threats. It has implications and not all of them are positive for economies dependent on hydrocarbons. The country needs an economic reform programme and more efficient and transparent use of the state’s oil resources. Chapter 4 of the Revitalized Agreement on Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan provides a blueprint.

To realize South Sudan’s potential oil governance, peace and security is critical and supersedes all other ingredients for development and investments. Therefore the parties to the Revitalized Peace Agreement on Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCISS) must implement the accord in letter and spirit to create a conducive environment, improve credit worthiness, and build confidence among investors to increase investment for the people of South Sudan to enjoy dividends of peace. Bottom of Form

If the country doesn’t lay urgent transitional plans to spur growth in other critical sectors like Agriculture, tourism, and service industries as envisioned by the former Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) leader late Dr. John Garang, it risks huge shocks from a steep decline in future demand for oil potentially burying billions of reserves. A goodwill to employ the necessary fiscal policies towards achieving this objective should be in high supply.

Source: Radio Tamazuj