 has warned that tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health challenge in South Sudan, particularly affecting children, despite ongoing efforts to combat the disease.){kind=link}
By Ginaba Lino
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned that tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health challenge in South Sudan, particularly affecting children, despite ongoing efforts to combat the disease.
The concern was raised during a roundtable held in Juba from April 27 to 28, organized by the Ministry of Health through the National Tuberculosis Programme in collaboration with MSF and other partners. The meeting focused on challenges related to childhood TB and explored strategies to improve access to diagnosis and treatment.
Discussions centered on barriers preventing children from receiving appropriate care, including limited access to health services, delayed diagnosis, and gaps in treatment. Participants also examined efforts to develop a national strategy aimed at strengthening early detection and improving treatment outcomes.
Speaking during the roundtable, MSF Medical Coordinator in South Sudan, Dr. Roselyn Morales, said the organization is working to improve outcomes for children affected by TB.
“MSF’s TACTiC initiative aims to implement the WHO algorithms and provide assistance for doctors to diagnose and initiate treatment of TB among children as soon as possible. Through this, we aim to improve the prognosis for children affected by tuberculosis in South Sudan.”
Dr. Morales also highlighted the impact of ongoing conflict on healthcare delivery, noting that insecurity continues to disrupt access to essential services for vulnerable populations.
“While progress has been made in fighting the disease, integrating TB screening into nutrition and regular child health services is essential in South Sudan, where child malnutrition is widespread and medical services are often disrupted.”
Health professionals at the roundtable called for the development of a practical and implementable national strategy to improve childhood TB care. They emphasized the need for early diagnosis, reduction of missed cases, and improved treatment outcomes, particularly among high-risk groups such as malnourished children and those in close contact with TB patients.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 38,000 people were affected by TB in South Sudan in 2024, with significant gaps in diagnosis and treatment still persisting.
Since 2023, MSF has been implementing the Test-Avoid-Cure Tuberculosis in Children (TACTiC) initiative across the country. The programme supports the rollout of WHO-recommended clinical decision-making tools that enable healthcare workers to diagnose and initiate TB treatment in children, even when laboratory tests are unavailable, inconclusive, or negative.