National Minister of Health declared an outbreak of Guinea worm in Rumbek center and Rumbek North Counties of Western Lakes State.
Riak Gai Kok blames inter-communal violence between the Pakam and Rub communities for hindering its eradication programme in the area.
He says disarmament of civilians has helped the programme staff to reach cattle camps.
“Today we have come to inform the public that 3 cases has been reported in Western Lakes State,” says Riak Gai.
Dr Gai Kok says as a result several cases were discovered and over 25 specimens were taken for test abroad.
UNICEF Representative Mahimbo Mdoe urges the National Ministry of Health to ensure that requirements needed to fight against the new outbreak are completely stocked.
He says UNICEF is mobilizing communities in hygiene practice in Rumbek with the focus on Guinea worm eradication.
“To solve cases from the nearby cattle camp, North of Rumbek, where UNICEF is mobilizing communities on key hygiene practices with the forcus on reporting on Guinee worm cases to the nearest health facilities,says Mdoe, in addition UNICEF has dispatched 4000 lifestraws, water filtration systems for personal use, 32 lifestraw units for community water use and 100 straws for family use” He adds
World Health Representative Dr Moses Mutebi says there is a strong surveillance system in place in terms of detecting and containing cases of the worm that could be reported.
He calls on the Ministry of Health and other partners to strengthen surveillance and create awareness among communities.
“this is a setback of the 3 cases but strenghtening surveillance, investigation of the worm suspects and awareness to ensure containment of the subsequent cases is quite important,” Says Muteebi.
The declaration was made during a press conference in Juba on Monday.