The South Sudan Medical Journal exists to inform, educate and positively influence the development of Health Services in South Sudan.
The Journal is published quarterly in February, May, August and November.
The SSMJ is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
eISSN 2309-4613
SSMJ is listed on the African Journals Online (AJOL) and Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Visit these sites to learn more.
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Latest Issue:
Vol 17. No. 4. November 2024
EDITORIAL
Climate change, oil pollution, and birth defects in South Sudan: A growing crisis
Edward Eremugo Kenyi, Editor-in-Chief, SSMJ
As global leaders, organizations, and activists meet in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), the communities of Unity State in South Sudan know what climate change means. The people of this region find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle of environmental destruction, human suffering, and a growing public health disaster.
We have previously covered the devastating effects of the floods in the region. These floods happen every rainy season but tend to recede as the dry season approaches. However, since 2020, the flood waters have stayed permanent in some areas. The following season tends to add more water to an already soaked soil, causing devastating suffering to the population. According to the recent BBC documentary, “at the worst point in 2022, two-thirds of Unity State was submerged; it says about 40% is still under water.”
COVID-19 RESOURCE CENTRE
South Sudan COVID-19 Statistics
Visit the Ministry of Health COVID-19 site here
South Sudan Health News
Malaria Vaccine in South Sudan - Now It's Time for Life-Saving Pneumonia and Rotavirus Vaccines
2 December 2024
By Dr Emmily Koiti and Dr. Anne Pita Lomole
In 2019, South Sudan experienced significant child mortality from preventable diseases. Pneumonia and diarrhea were particularly deadly, accounting for 19% and 10% of under-5 mortality, respectively. Rotavirus is especially impactful, causing 24.4% of diarrheal disease deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Vaccination emerges as a crucial public health strategy, preventing an estimated 3.5 to 5 million deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases. Given the substantial burden of these illnesses, prioritizing comprehensive vaccination programs is essential for reducing child mortality and improving overall health outcomes
South Sudan has a mortality rate of 98.8 per 1000 live births for children under five (U5) years with malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia accounting for about 70% of their deaths. Malaria, the mosquito-borne parasitic infection and leading cause of death among children under 5 years in the country is now being curbed through the launch of a malaria vaccine in South Sudan to protect them against it and its sequelae. However, key vaccines that limit pneumonia and diarrhea are yet to be introduced in South Sudan.