SSMJ May 2026
Editorials
This outbreak is caused by a rare strain of the Ebola virus, the Bundibugyo type, which had previously caused only two outbreaks: the 2007 outbreak in Bundibugyo province in western Uganda and the 2012 outbreak in Isiro, Pawa, Dungu, and Province Orientale in the DRC.There are two other types of the virus that caused most of the last outbreaks: the Ebola (Zaire) and Sudan viruses.
News, Reports and Policy
At the last annual Committee meeting of the Gordon Memorial College Trust Fund (GMCTF) on 19th March 2026, applications for postgraduate grants were considered.
Clinical Guidance
RE: South Sudan Postgraduate Training Programme
RESPONSE: South Sudan Postgraduate Training Programme
CDC Poster
Research
Glaucoma is a major cause of irreversible vision loss and blindness, marked by progressive damage to the optic nerve. In 2020, approximately 76 million individuals worldwide were affected, including 4.5 million with moderate to severe visual impairment and 3.2 million with blindness, and the total number of individuals affected with glaucoma is projected to rise to 111.8 million by 2040. Because the disease is often asymptomatic in its early stages, diagnosis typically occurs only after substantial optic nerve damage, leading to compromised quality of life. Early detection and timely management are therefore essential to prevent further vision loss.
Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, is the second leading infectious cause of blindness after trachoma. It is a parasitic disease caused by Onchocerca volvulus, a filarial worm transmitted by blackfly bites. In 34 countries, 249.5 million people are at risk of which 14.6 million are infected, 1.15 million people are visually impaired and/or have gone blind. Twenty-six African countries shouldered 96% of all global cases.
Schistosomiasis is a chronic, progressive disease caused by the parasitic bloodworms (trematodes). Urinary schistosomiasis is caused by Schistosoma haematobium, transmitted from one person to another when an infected person passes the ova from urine into water bodies. The ova hatch immediately into miracidia, which are then ingested by a snail (in this case, Bulinus spp). Inside the snail intermediate host, the miracidia undergo metamorphosis into cercariae, which are then released and become free-swimming in the water, serving as the infective stage to man.
An effective health research agenda is fundamental for aligning research investments with national health priorities, particularly in developing and fragile contexts such as South Sudan. Research prioritisation informs the allocation of resources to health needs, supports the generation of appropriate evidence, and facilitates strategic coordination among stakeholders.[1] South Sudan faces acute and chronic burdens of communicable and non-communicable diseases. This report documents the process, prioritised health research themes and questions, and indicates the next priority steps in South Sudan, adapting, applying, and contextualising the Africa CDC research prioritisation tool.
Globally, health facilities are fundamental components of emergency response plans and must enhance their capabilities and capacities for emergency preparedness well before any disaster. In times of disasters, the primary duties of the health sector include saving lives, minimizing permanent disability, delivering medical care to the injured, and mitigating the risks of disease and mortality resulting from illness or other health hazards. Unfortunately, in many instances, health facilities are inadequately prepared for unforeseen disasters.
Healthcare systems depend on reliable information from a well-established Health Management Information System (HMIS). As one of the health system building blocks, HMIS plays a significant role in collecting, storing and analysing data to support better decision-making. For enhanced quality data, HIS infrastructures, such as availability of computers, Internet connectivity, and software, need to be adequate.
Stunting remains a major public health problem with long-term consequences for child health and development. In addition to impaired physical growth, stunting is associated with delays in cognitive, motor, and socio-emotional development that may persist into adulthood. Although undernutrition is a key determinant, inadequate psychosocial stimulation and suboptimal caregiving practices also contribute substantially to poor developmental outcomes.
Prolonged humanitarian crises in Cox’s Bazar expose health workers to extreme stress, ethical challenges, and resource scarcity. Studies show humanitarian and health workers face high burnout and secondary trauma due to continuous exposure to intense suffering, often mirroring distress experienced by displaced populations. Recent studies show persistent anxiety and depression among workers, highlighting the need for systemic, context-sensitive interventions beyond individual resilience training. Within mental health discourse, moral injury denotes psychological harm from witnessing or engaging in actions that violate one’s moral values.
Case Reports
While cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea due to a road traffic accident is uncommon, its occurrence is clinically important because of the serious complications involving the central nervous system, such as meningitis. Often, the management of a post-traumatic CSF leak requires a multidisciplinary strategic approach. We report a case of post-traumatic sphenoid-sinus CSF leak with meningocele successfully repaired using a transnasal endoscopic multilayer technique in a setting with scarce resources.
Portal cavernoma is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding resulting from complications of portal hypertension. We report the case of a 30-year-old woman admitted with haematemesis and splenomegaly. Imaging revealed a portal cavernoma associated with oesophageal varices. The patient received a blood transfusion, fluid resuscitation, and on discharge was put on propranolol for secondary prevention. Endoscopic ligation could not be performed due to service limitations. Diagnosis of portal cavernoma relies on imaging.
Summaries
The pervasive intimate partner violence continues to be perpetuated by entrenched gender norms, weak women’s economic power, and post-war realities in South Sudan. In the face of global attention, South Sudan now considers gender-based violence not only as a health risk but also a human rights issue to safeguard. This study strived to identify and analyse interpersonal and community-level factors influencing intimate partner violence in South Sudan, from the existing literature.