29,714 people in Juba reached with WASH services to help contain COVID: UNICEF

UNICEF is establishing partnerships and positioning supplies at critical locations to ensure quick access to paracetamol and oral re-hydration salts by COVID-19 infected persons.

29,714 people in Protection of Civilians (POC) sites of Juba and the high-risk areas of Juba County have now been reached with critical water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) as well as infection prevention and control (IPC) services to help contain the spread of COVID-19, announced UNICEF. This is one of the results made possible by a 2 million USD contribution from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to UNICEF to help protect the most vulnerable populations in Juba County from COVID-19.

USAID’s financial contribution aims to help minimize possible morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 through supporting WASH activities, preventing and controlling infection, as well as communicating vital messages to vulnerable populations in the high-risk areas of Mahad, Mangateen, Rejaf as well as in the Protection of Civilians Sites 1 and 3.

“This grant to UNICEF is part of more than 40 million USD the U.S. Government has committed for efforts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in South Sudan and respond to the effects of the pandemic, including providing additional food assistance to meet food needs,” said USAID Mission Director for South Sudan Leslie Reed.

The USAID-funded services in water, sanitation and hygiene and infection prevention and control include regular cleaning and disinfection of latrines and water points, promotion of integrated hygiene and solid waste removal services, as well as trucking 600,000 litres of water every day, for a duration of six months.

In addition to these WASH and IPC services, access to oral rehydration salts and paracetamol will be provided for home-based treatment of those infected with COVID 19 who have mild symptoms. UNICEF is establishing partnerships and positioning supplies at critical locations to ensure quick access to paracetamol and oral re-hydration salts by COVID-19 infected persons.

“South Sudan has now recorded more than 1,900 cases of COVID-19 and this figure is growing daily. The contribution of USAID is of critical importance to contain the spread of the disease further in the most vulnerable areas of Juba County, and to assist those who present mild symptoms to treat themselves effectively at home”, said Dr Mohamed Ayoya, UNICEF Representative in South Sudan.

(With Inputs from APO)