SSMJ August 2026

Editorials

Can the Ebola Zaire vaccine stop the Bundibugyo virus?

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has officially become the deadliest on record, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting more than 5,200 confirmed cases and 2,600 deaths in the country as of August 12, 2026. Despite the valiant efforts of health workers, community mobilization, and international support, the Bundibugyo virus continues to wreak havoc in the DRC and poses a threat to neighboring countries.

News, Reports and Policy

WHO Guidelines for pregnant and breastfeeding women in Ebola

WHO-Guidelines for the management of pregnant and breastfeeding women in the context of Ebola virus disease To save the lives of mothers and their babies, mitigate complications, and limit the spread of disease, it is critical that recommendations are made on the prevention, treatment, and surveillance of women who are exposed to EVD, acquire EVD during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or survive EVD with ongoing pregnancies. These guidelines are the first to provide such recommendations.

Clinical Guidance

No documents found.

Research

Assessment of airborne fungi in the emergency and traumatology departments of University Hospital Centre, Sidi Bel-Abbes, Algeria

Airborne fungi in hospital environments represent a significant risk, particularly in wards housing immunocompromised patients, where they may contribute to nosocomial infections, including hospital-acquired mold diseases. This study aimed to assess the presence of airborne fungi in operating theatres, waiting areas, and corridors within the emergency and traumatology departments of the University Hospital Centre in Sidi Bel-Abbes, Algeria, and to examine environmental and human-related determinants.

Maternal and nutritional factors associated with early childhood development in rural Indonesia

The factors influencing child development are complex. One of the most important relationships is that between parents and children. Childhood is a crucial period, particularly the first 1,000 days of life. Adequate nutrition and environmental stimulation are vital during this period to prevent chronic malnutrition and stunting.

Observed outcomes and costs of laparoscopic versus open cholecystectomy in Juba, South Sudan

Cholecystectomy is a common surgical procedure for the management of symptomatic gallstone disease. The operation may be performed by open cholecystectomy (OC) or laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). In many high-income settings, LC has become the standard approach since the early 1990s. However, OC remains commonly performed in many low-resource settings, including most parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

Stakeholders’ perspectives on determinants of health financing in South Sudan: a qualitative assessment

Health financing is one of the core building blocks of any health system, directly determining how resources are generated, pooled, and allocated to enable equitable access to health services. Globally, there are extreme disparities in health financing; i.e., those with the highest burden of disease have the least funding for health services. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, high-income countries spend nearly 300 times as much on health as low-income countries.

Predictors of unsuccessful treatment outcomes among adults with pulmonary tuberculosis in a resource-limited setting

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most pressing global health challenges. TB returned to being the world’s leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. The burden is concentrated in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): just five nations accounted for 56% of global cases, with Indonesia ranking second and contributing an estimated 10% of the world’s TB burden.

Assessment of the understanding of evidence- based medicine among undergraduate medical students in Gadarif University, Sudan

In today’s fast-paced medical landscape, imagine a cardiac unit where physicians lack the skills to seamlessly integrate evidence-based medicine (EBM) into their practice. The consequence? Potentially outdated treatments could be administered, leading to suboptimal patient outcomes. This underscores the urgency of ingraining EBM training into medical education. EBM involves the systematic review, evaluation, and application of clinical research findings to optimise patient care. This approach has been widely endorsed by physicians globally.

Environmental health risks associated with open dumping practices in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia: an observational study

Inadequate municipal solid waste management (SWM) remains a critical public health and environmental challenge in developing countries. Despite the global push towards sustainable waste management, open dumping remains the predominant method of waste disposal in many low- and middle-income nations. This practice exposes surrounding communities to severe environmental health hazards, including groundwater contamination from toxic leachate, air pollution from spontaneous combustion and methane emissions, and the proliferation of disease vectors such as mosquitoes, flies, and rodents.

Assessing the quality of health facilities providing antenatal care services in Bor, South Sudan

Maternal and perinatal mortality are major challenges in developing countries, including South Sudan, where the figures are among the highest in the world. The maternal mortality ratio is 1,223 per 100,000 live births, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2021. Recent studies indicate that South Sudan has one of the highest mortality rates globally, with early perinatal mortality reported at 122.3 per 1,000 total births in some areas and a neonatal mortality rate (NMR) of approximately 39.3 - 40.2 per 1,000 live births in 2025.

Prostate cancer awareness and factors influencing screening among men at St. Francis Referral Hospital, Tanzania

Prostate cancer (PCa) is among the top three most frequent cancers in men worldwide, after liver and lung cancers, accounting for 15% of all cancers. Its incidence varies by region. The age-standardized incidence rates are 79.1/100,000 in Oceania, 73.7/100,000 in North America, and 62.1/100,000 in Europe.

Case Reports

Long-standing aspirated foreign body in a child complicated by pneumothorax and empyema

We report a case of a four-year-old boy who presented to the Emergency Department at Al Sabah Children’s Hospital in Juba, South Sudan, with a two-month history of an inhaled foreign body (bead). He had previously attended several healthcare facilities with recurrent chest infections that led to acute respiratory distress. On admission, he was managed for respiratory failure, severe aspiration pneumonia, pleural empyema/lung abscess, and pneumothorax.

Clinical rabies in an HIV-positive pregnant mother with surviving newborn

This is a case report of an HIV-positive pregnant mother who was referred to Pariang Civil Hospital at 37 weeks of gestation with a history of a dog bite six weeks previously, restlessness, inability to swallow, hydrophobia, vomiting, fear, hypersalivation, and fever. Diagnosis of clinical rabies in pregnancy was made, and an emergency Caesarean Section was done with a live baby girl. The mother died 49 hours after delivery. The baby received nevirapine syrup at birth and tested negative for HIV at six weeks and at nine months but does not seem to have received rabies vaccine. One year later, she has no symptoms of rabies.

Summaries