Aid organizations working in South Sudan have reestablished access to Wau Shilluk by river from Malakal since last week, for the first time since June, according to a report released today by the coordinating agency UN OCHA. 

The UN agency said that the first visit occurred on 1 October after three months of negotiations to reestablish access to the area. Radio Tamazuj previously reported that the army had imposed restrictions to prevent aid delivery to Wau Shilluk and other west bank areas. 

“The population in Wau Shilluk is currently estimated to be around 32,400 people, including 5,000 recently displaced from Detang, Lelo and Warjock as a result of fighting. Although humanitarian partners had been unable to visit Wau Shilluk by boat since 25 June, they did manage to reach the area by air in August, and delivered food and emergency health supplies to about 20,000 people,” OCHA stated

All water points have stopped functioning and all schools in Wau Shilluk are currently closed, according to the report. Some of the teachers have fled and there are no teaching materials for the children.

During the cross-river mission on 1 October, aid workers delivered nutrition, health, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies. They also took the opportunity to consider ways to re-establish existing service facilities in the area.