According to the 2024 South Sudan Humanitarian Need Overview and Response Plan (HNRP), South Sudan is experiencing a severe health crisis affecting 8.9 million people, primarily in regions affected by conflict and flooding. The health system in the country relies heavily on international aid and faces human resource shortages. Vulnerable groups—including women, children, the elderly and persons living with disabilities—face a high risk of illness and morbidity due to limited access to healthcare.
International Medical Corps is helping. Our mobile medical teams travel to various locations, including internally displaced person (IDP) reception centres in Malakal, South Sudan, to provide healthcare services.
Earlier this year, we helped Nyawech Chamjok Lahm, a pregnant woman who lives with her husband and two kids in Way Station, an IDP camp in Malakal town. Her family was displaced to Malakal while fleeing armed conflict in Jonglei state. An International Medical Corps mobile medical team visited the IDP camp, and Nyawech came to see the midwife. She complained of progressive lower abdominal pain, vaginal discharge and back pain.
Midwife Sarah Anai Atong attended Nyawech at the antenatal care (ANC) and found that she was in labour with a fully dilated cervix. Nyawech was rehydrated with normal saline IV fluids, provided with a clean delivery kit and referred to Malakal Teaching Hospital, a nearby health facility that we also support. But before the ambulance could leave the site, Nyawech began to push, and Sarah quickly assembled the delivery kit and prepared to deliver the baby at the mobile outreach site. Within minutes, Nyawech delivered a bouncing baby boy weighing 3.1 kg (6.8 lb). Sarah cleaned and wrapped the baby and gave him to Nyawech so she could perform Kangaroo Mother Care (skin-to-skin contact). Nyawech was excited. She saw her baby was in good condition, and she had delivered him without complications.
After delivery, our team referred Nyawech and her baby to Malakal Teaching Hospital. She was admitted to the postnatal ward of the hospital for further management and close monitoring for postpartum haemorrhage.
“I want to thank the International Medical Corps team and the donors who are supporting them for extending their support to us, the vulnerable people staying at the IDP reception and other areas,” said Nyawech.
“Despite the challenges faced by the mobile medical team—such as limited medical supplies for management of the third stage of labour, limited clean delivery kits and inadequate staffing—the team is always doing its best to ensure lives are saved on time,” Sarah said.