A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families

by International Medical Corps
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families
A Healthier Future for South Sudan's Families

Project Report | Aug 7, 2014
Providing Nutrition Support in South Sudan in the Face of a Looming Famine

By Jason Graber | Resource Development Officer

A mother with children - by Maya Baldauf
A mother with children - by Maya Baldauf

With the rainy season in full swing, nutrition and food security issues in South Sudan have become ever more important to address. The torrential rains in this region during the months of July and August make roads and rivers impassible, making it even more challenging for aid agencies to provide necessary services. This season comes on the heels of six months of war that has uprooted 1.1 million people. While men, women and children leave their homes in search of safety from violence, they face further dangers such as hunger, disease and other medical concerns. Displaced persons have been unable to plant crops and therefore the country is unable to feed itself. Humanitarian assistance is crucial to the survival of the people of South Sudan; however, funding is dwindling for the crisis. 

International Medical Corps has been working in South Sudan since 1994, 10 years before the peace accord was signed. Today, we deliver health services in six of South Sudan’s ten states to nearly half a million in South Sudan and work to address maternal health, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, food security, water and sanitation. International Medical Corps emphasizes its nutrition and feeding programs in South Sudan. These programs are progressively growing, especially during the current rainy season where we support five outpatient treatment programs, six blanket supplementary feeding programs, four target supplementary feeding programs and three stabilization centers across six different counties in Upper Nile, Jonglei, Central Equatoria and Lakes State. We work in both rural and urban areas through 46 health facilities, including two hospitals. We provide approximately 20,000 consultations per month through these facilities.

MALAKAL: Following the outbreak of heavy fighting in early 2014 in Malakal, capital of Upper Nile State, at least 30,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) sought refuge at a UN base and in the grounds of churches in Malakal. International Medical Corps leads the nutrition programs in Malakal and is the only health partner providing Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) services to Internally Displaced Persons.  

International Medical Corps addressed the immediate needs of the local population by treating more than 460 injuries resulting from the conflict. Since January 28th, we have provided more than 10,000 health consultations in clinics at the United Nations’ compound in Malakal. In addition, 25 International Medical Corps-trained community nutrition volunteers and health promoters have provided routine nutritional screening and treatment referral of both children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding women. Community outreach to mothers has resulted in the establishment of 120 mother care groups, which hold two sessions per week on infant and young child feeding practices. 

Since January 29th, International Medical Corps has screened more than 6,900 children for malnutrition. Our teams organized training for health professionals in cholera prevention and treatment. Community health volunteers and national staff were also trained on the importance of vaccination for measles and polio.

AWERIAL: Across Awerial County, an estimated 31,000 people are displaced, having been forced from their homes by fierce fighting in the town of Bor. Since January 6, International Medical Corps has conducted 2,789 health consolations in the county, with focus on smaller, isolated communities that have received little or no access to services. Mobile medical clinics, providing basic primary health care, maternal health, and nutrition screenings, are reaching IDPs living in in the villages of Yelakot, Kalthok and Wun Tua.

International Medical Corps has also been providing mobile health and nutrition services by boat to the islands of Mathiang, Matoro, Nyindeng and Malual, where few other humanitarian actors are operating. The nutrition programs also cover outpatient treatment for severe acute malnutrition without medical complications, as well as targeted supplementary feeding for children under five and pregnant and lactating women. Our services have ensured approximately 1,200 children and 500 pregnant and lactating women have been screened for malnutrition and admitted to the appropriate treatment programs. 

JUBA: In Juba, International Medical Corps is providing primary health care and reproductive health services at the UN House and Tongping camps in Juba, where it serves as the co-lead in health programs in coordination with the World Health Organization. More than 4,000 health consultations have been conducted since January 6. International Medical Corps is also working alongside the World Health Organization and UNICEF to vaccinate children under five, as well as supporting the Ministry of Health in mass vaccination campaigns at the UN House camp. Additionally, International Medical Corps is in the process of setting up an operating theatre in Juba, to serve as an emergency surgical unit focused on complicated deliveries.

Nutrition education session - By Maia Baldauf
Nutrition education session - By Maia Baldauf
Patients in a refugee camp - by Maia Baldauf
Patients in a refugee camp - by Maia Baldauf
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May 19, 2014
Madi's Story

By Maia Baldauf | Communications Officer

Feb 20, 2014
International Medical Corps is Responding to the Ongoing Conflict in South Sudan

By Jason Graber | Resource Development Officer

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Organization Information

International Medical Corps

Location: Los Angeles, CA - USA
Website:
Project Leader:
Kimberly Laney
Los Angeles , CA United States

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