Forty people have died of AIDS-related illnesses in Ezo county of South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state since December 2015 after relief groups fled clashes in the area, the commissioner said.
Ezo commissioner Luciano Bakinde urged aid groups to return to the area to administer health care to the population.
“HIV/AIDS infection rate is high and patients are dying due to lack of drugs,” Bakinde told Radio Tamazuj. “I call upon aid agencies to come back to the area and provide health services especially to AIDS patients.”
The commissioner further appealed to displaced people to return to their homes and farms and send their children to school.
Thousands were displaced from Ezo since December after clashes between government forces and rebels. More clashes were reported in Ezo last weekend.