Recent cuts in U.S. aid led to the closure of health clinics in South Sudan, resulting in the tragic deaths of multiple cholera patients while seeking care, according to Save the Children.
Cholera Outbreak Claims Lives Amid U.S. Aid Cuts in South Sudan
Cholera Outbreak Claims Lives Amid U.S. Aid Cuts in South Sudan
Children suffer as essential health services dwindle following funding reductions.
At least eight individuals, including five children, tragically succumbed to cholera while attempting to secure treatment in South Sudan after significant aid reductions enacted by the Trump administration led to the closure of critical local health facilities. The dire situation unfolded as these families undertook a treacherous three-hour journey under the punishing sun in search of the nearest operating health center, as reported by Save the Children this week.
The cuts, implemented in January, resulted in the closure of seven of the 27 health facilities across Akobo County supported by the charity. Twenty others were forced to curtail operations, ultimately jeopardizing the lives of countless vulnerable individuals. The remaining clinics, now severely understaffed and filled with volunteers, lack the necessary resources to transport seriously ill patients to hospitals.
Christopher Nyamandi, Save the Children’s country director for South Sudan, shared his observations from a recent visit to an impacted health clinic in Akobo County. He painted a grim picture of overcrowded tents meant for 25 individuals now housing hundreds, with many being forced to sleep outside in hazardous conditions while battling cholera.
Healthcare workers have recounted the heartbreaking difficulties of managing patients in such dire circumstances, often shielding children from the grim realities of death in their midst. As aid cuts continue to affect the region's health services, the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan deepens, underscoring the urgent need for renewed support and intervention.
