Africa-Press – South-Sudan. The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is calling for the urgent delivery of life-saving malaria medicines as the country enters its peak malaria season.
In a statement on Wednesday, MSF said nationwide stockouts caused by gaps in the regular supply system have left many facilities without treatment for the past three months.
The group said some of the facilities it supports have had no anti-malarial or other essential medical supplies since May, undermining malaria prevention and care as cases surge during the seasonal peak.
According to MSF, public health facilities in Kajokeji, Yei, and Morobo in Central Equatoria State; Twic in Warrap; Aweil in Northern Bahr el Ghazal; and Abyei Special Administrative Area have completely run out of anti-malarial supplies.
It added that facilities in Yei and Morobo counties have been without medicines since May, while violence and insecurity further restrict access to the little care that remains.
MSF said it has treated more than 44,000 patients in these locations, warning that numbers are expected to rise further with the ongoing rainy season.
The charity noted that despite UNICEF’s efforts to supply 80 counties across all 10 states, the intervention cannot replace a regular supply system, leaving severe gaps. Out of the 80 counties, only 23 in Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Unity States have received supplies, which are expected to last only one to two months.
Dr. Sigrid Lamberg, MSF’s head of mission for South Sudan, said malaria is a predictable, life-threatening seasonal emergency that cannot be overlooked.
“Malaria is a predictable, life-threatening seasonal emergency in South Sudan, yet each year, stockouts and supply chain failures leave the most vulnerable exposed. This cannot be overlooked. We urge all actors involved in planning, procurement and delivery of malaria supplies and commodities to act now and restore the flow of essential medicines,” he said.
Malaria is the leading cause of illness and death in South Sudan, accounting for at least 30 percent of deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO projects malaria cases in South Sudan to reach 8.3 million in 2025, a staggering figure in a country of just 12 million people.
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