An oral cholera vaccination campaign is ongoing in parts of South Sudan’s Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), to protect the flood-displaced from deadly waterborne diseases.
The campaign started on February 14 is expected to run until Sunday next week.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Friday evening, Peter Kuju, the acting GPAA health director-general, said the ongoing drive aims at vaccinating about 90,000 people, from one year and above, in Pibor, Verthet, Gumuruk, and Likuangole.
“We are leading the campaign in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners. Prevention is better than cure. And that is why after we saw cases of watery diarrhea, we launched this campaign,” Kuju said.
He added, “We are targeting more than 90,000 people in Verthet, Pibor, Gumuruk, and Likuangole because as you know, our area was hit by floods last year and we are trying to prevent any cholera outbreak.”
For his part, Dr. Abdelrubu Mohamed, the area’s head of the primary health department, urged residents across the Greater Pibor to take part in the drive, saying it will help avert a looming cholera outbreak in the flood-hit area.
“My message to civil population is that they should take the vaccine and take precautionary measures like good hygiene, consumption of treated water, and proper waste disposal,” Dr. Mahammed advised.
The health official urged the government to intervene, saying areas in parts of Likuangole may miss out on the drive because they are cut off due to floods.
Cholera is an acute diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae.
Last month, at least 63,000 people received the oral polio vaccine in parts of the Jonglei State capital, Bor.