JUBA, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations humanitarian agency said on Wednesday that it has released 8 million U.S. dollars to support the multi-sectoral response to the cholera outbreak in six priority locations across South Sudan.
Anita Kiki Gbeho, the UN humanitarian coordinator for South Sudan, said the allocation from the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund will address the affected people's most urgent health and water, sanitation, and hygiene needs to mitigate the impact of cholera.
"People in these high-risk locations face elevated risks due to significant population movement and limited access to critical health and sanitation services," Gbeho said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
She said the allocation comes at a critical time, prioritizing urgent multi-sectoral interventions in health, water, sanitation and hygiene, logistics, and multi-sector refugee response in the six hotspot areas to curb the spread of cholera.
Gbeho said the multi-sectoral response will focus on early detection, treatment, infection control measures, and the provision of clean water and improved sanitation for approximately 730,000 people in Renk, Malakal, Maban, Aweil East, Rubkona, and Jamjang, where fragile health systems and population movements exacerbate the impact and spread of cholera.
On Dec. 10, the World Health Organization said 32 deaths have been reported, with about 37 percent of the fatalities being among children since Oct. 28, when a cholera outbreak was declared in South Sudan.
Gbeho commended donors for their generous contributions, enabling them to provide life-saving assistance to those in need. "We appeal for their continued support to sustain our efforts in saving lives and building the resilience of vulnerable communities."
Since South Sudan declared cholera in Renk on Oct. 28, over 5,900 cases of cholera have been reported from seven out of 10 states in South Sudan, according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
