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Juba – Al-Wadi Newspaper
A national workshop on the assessment and profiling of multi-hazard health risks has commenced in Juba, initiated by the National Public Health Institute (NPHI) and the Ministry of Health, with technical and financial support from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
The workshop is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen South Sudan’s preparedness to respond to epidemics, health emergencies, disasters, and other potential threats to public health.
The four-day workshop brings together 35 representatives from government institutions and development partners. It aims to identify major risks that could threaten public health, assess vulnerabilities and levels of exposure, and establish clear priorities for preparedness, prevention, and response measures.
The workshop also seeks to develop a coordinated national approach to health security based on evidence and data for identifying and classifying risks, as well as assessing their likelihood and potential impact. This approach is expected to help relevant authorities make more effective decisions when responding to health emergencies.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Dr. Ader Macar Aciek, Acting Executive Director of the National Public Health Institute, stressed the importance of developing a comprehensive national multi-hazard risk profile.
He said such a profile would provide an important foundation for developing practical strategies for preparedness, prevention, risk reduction, and emergency response.
Dr. Ader expressed appreciation for the support provided by Africa CDC, noting that South Sudan is among the countries benefiting from the presence of a dedicated country representative, which strengthens opportunities for technical cooperation and national capacity building.
He called for continued coordination between Africa CDC, the Ministry of Health, and the National Public Health Institute to ensure that technical assistance and investments remain aligned with South Sudan’s national priorities and needs in public health and health security.
For his part, Africa CDC Country Director in South Sudan, Dr. Tolbert Geewleh Nyenswah, said the organisation is supporting the country through a multisectoral approach to addressing health risks, including disease outbreaks and epidemics, climate-related challenges, and humanitarian emergencies.
Dr. Nyenswah reaffirmed Africa CDC’s continued support for national capacity-building efforts, stressing that its cooperation with South Sudan goes beyond responding to individual health emergencies and includes sustained efforts to strengthen national institutions’ capacity in public health preparedness and response.
Since 2017, Africa CDC has supported the establishment and strengthening of national public health institutes in several African countries, while expanding its efforts to enhance health cooperation and capacity at the regional level.
South Sudan remains one of the priority countries under Africa CDC programmes, as efforts continue to strengthen national institutions’ capacity to identify and monitor health risks, prepare for emergencies, and mount effective responses to future health crises.
