South Sudan Steps Up Ebola Preparedness Along Porous DRC Border

By Dominic Wabwireh with other agencies

18/08 - 13:18

South Sudan

South Sudan is strengthening Ebola surveillance along its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, where heavy cross-border movement and informal routes pose challenges. UN officials and local authorities say preparedness and coordination are key to preventing the virus from entering the country.

A high-level United Nations delegation has visited Western Equatoria State to assess Ebola preparedness and strengthen cooperation with state authorities on public health, humanitarian assistance and peacebuilding.

At the Nabiapai border crossing with the Democratic Republic of Congo, health workers said hundreds of people pass through each day, with numbers surging during weekly market days.

“We screen more than 800 to 1,000 people at this border,” said Severio Peter, a frontline health worker. He said between Monday and Thursday, an average of 200 to 500 people are screened daily.

The biggest challenge, he added, is the area's “porous entries”, which can allow people to bypass official screening points.

Preparing for a possible outbreak

No Ebola cases have been confirmed in South Sudan, but authorities are stepping up surveillance amid concerns over cross-border transmission.

Western Equatoria Governor Badagbu Rimbasa said Ebola preparedness was a key issue discussed during the UN delegation's visit.

“Ebola is not yet in South Sudan, but we must do everything in our preparedness to prevent Ebola from entering South Sudan,” he said.

State Health Minister Nama Bukulu called for additional surveillance, particularly at border checkpoints, including night shifts to screen travellers arriving outside normal operating hours.

UN backs stronger coordination

UN Deputy Special Representative Ramanathan Balakrishnan said discussions with authorities focused on strengthening the partnership between the government and the UN, including the security of humanitarian operations and access to communities in need.

“We also talked about the Ebola preparedness and the support that would be expected from the state authorities,” he said.

Balakrishnan said there had been improvements in preparedness but acknowledged that more work was needed.

He expressed confidence that continued cooperation among national and state authorities, UN agencies and other partners would help South Sudan further strengthen its ability to respond if Ebola is detected.

The visit highlighted the importance of maintaining vigilance at one of the country's busiest border areas, where high population movement and unofficial crossing routes make disease surveillance particularly challenging.