According to the Acting Director General at the State Ministry of Health, Tot Jang, the cases were recorded between July and October in Bentiu, Panyijiar, Mayom, Leer, Guit, Rubkona, Koch, and Mayendit counties. He said this year’s infections represent a 30 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
“We have identified 13,639 malaria cases and 12 related deaths between July and October,” Jang told Sudans Post in an interview last week.
“The outbreak comes after the Ministry of Health and its partners failed to distribute mosquito nets to vulnerable communities, leaving many residents exposed,” he added.
Malaria, a life-threatening disease transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes, remains one of South Sudan’s leading causes of illness and death, especially during the rainy season when stagnant water provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
At Bentiu Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, patients say the situation has been made worse by limited access to medication and inadequate health facilities. One of the patients, Nyawal Michael, said she had been battling persistent fever, headaches, dizziness, and joint pain, which were later confirmed to be symptoms of malaria.
“Those are the beginning signs of malaria, and I experienced all of them,” she lamented. “The problem is that there is insufficient medical assistance, and many people are suffering silently.”
Residents have urged the Unity State Ministry of Health and humanitarian partners to act swiftly. Peter Gatdet, a resident of Bentiu town, blamed the crisis on the government’s failure to distribute mosquito nets in time.
“We are appealing to the state ministry of health and its partners to provide mosquito nets to prevent further infections,” Gatdet said.
The national Ministry of Health is yet to announce new preventive measures or plans to curb the ongoing outbreak.
In late October, it claimed that the Unity State Ministry of Health reported a significant improvement in the quality of health services across the state, describing it as “a remarkable achievement given years of devastating conflict and persistent floods.”
However, the latest report on the surge of malaria cases and deaths, coupled with the lack of essential medicines, paints a bleak picture of the reality on the ground.
