Jonglei has experienced a resurgence of armed conflict, marked by clashes between government and opposition forces.
“Access constraints in Jonglei state have placed the lives of mothers and their children in grave jeopardy,” stated Noala Skinner, UNICEF South Sudan Country Representative.
Since January, intensifying hostilities, mass displacement, and perilous routes have severed essential services and forced health facilities to shut down, depriving families of reliable access to healthcare, safe water, protection, and nutritional support.
Children screened for malnutrition
UNICEF utilized its Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) to transport over eight tonnes of critical supplies to isolated communities in Wiechjol, Akobo County, and Waat, Nyirol County. The convoy carried therapeutic food for children suffering from acute malnutrition, water treatment and hygiene kits, and vital medical provisions.
Screening efforts identified 1,666 children under the age of five with acute malnutrition. Of these, 146 were admitted for life-saving treatment, and 602 children with moderate acute malnutrition were referred for follow-up care. Furthermore, 331 caregivers received counseling on improving nutritional levels for infants and young children.
Skinner referenced Standardized Monitoring and Assessment of Relief and Transitions (SMART) surveys, which revealed that global acute malnutrition rates in Akobo West surpass 40 percent—among the highest recorded nationally.
“While the RRM missions are crucial, operating conditions in northern Jonglei remain exceedingly difficult,” she noted.
Health and water services restored
On the health front, teams administered primary healthcare to 1,241 patients, including 250 children under five, treating prevalent illnesses such as malaria, acute respiratory tract infections, acute watery diarrhea, and skin diseases.
Concurrently, water, sanitation, and hygiene teams distributed water filters and purification supplies to 1,200 families. Additionally, 200 women and girls received dignity and hygiene kits, and over 2,000 individuals were reached with crucial messaging on hygiene promotion and disease prevention.
UNICEF warned that damaged and non-functional water infrastructure, inadequate sanitation, and limited health access continue to fuel preventable childhood illnesses. Ongoing conflict and displacement further elevate the risks of family separation, gender-based violence, and child recruitment by armed groups.
More help needed
“For many families, this intervention represented the first humanitarian assistance they had received in months. However, our findings underscore the extensive support still required, and how rapidly conditions can deteriorate if access remains constrained in these areas,” Skinner emphasized.
UNICEF has outlined four critical areas requiring action:
- Safe, predictable, and sustained humanitarian access to conflict-affected communities
- An end to egregious violations against children, including recruitment, alongside increased investment in protection services for women and children. This encompasses the prevention of gender-based violence, child abductions, and other protection risks.
- Continued support for emergency response operations, including RRM missions, to avert supply disruptions of therapeutic food, medicines, and clean water.
- Sustained partnerships and flexible humanitarian financing to uphold operational readiness, pre-position essential supplies, deploy multidisciplinary response teams, and facilitate the rapid mobilization of lifesaving assistance wherever and whenever emergencies arise.