The authorities in Aweil Municipal Council in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State on Monday launched a drive to distribute some 2,500 mosquito nets to flood victims in the town’s suburbs of Hai Dalala, Deng Nhial, Naivasha, and Gabat among others.
The health support package was donated by the national health ministry in Juba to the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State government through the state health ministry.
According to the local authorities in Aweil, the flood-affected households are estimated at more than 2, 500.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj during the launch, Aweil Town Mayor Garang Deng Diing said mosquito nets will only be given to affected people who have been registered.
“We only have 2,500 pieces of mosquito nets and we have registered all residential areas in Aweil municipality and we are distributing them to those whose homes collapsed,” he said. “The number (mosquito nets) is not big but we thank the ministries of health of Northern Bahr el Ghazal and South Sudan for a job well done.”
However, the recipients demanded more support and packages in terms of shelter materials, blankets, medical services, and foodstuffs.
Akur Deng Anei, one of the beneficiaries, said that they were also hungry.
“There are a lot of problems like hunger, malaria, and other hard conditions,” he said. “The mosquito net cannot be eaten and the most important thing is that food items should have been distributed.”
“We are still in need of the missing materials such as foodstuffs, blankets, and others,” Deng added.
Another beneficiary of a mosquito net from the Muduria residential area, Achol Diing Diing, appreciated the donation but asked for blankets and tarpaulins because their houses collapsed.
“They are supposed to support us with mosquito nets, raincoats, and blankets,” she said. “It is not good for them (government) to give us only one mosquito net for a family, our houses fell and most of us are in open places which affects children.”