29 Apr 2020
South Sudanese ladies carrying water containers
The risk of the pandemic virus in a developing country like South Sudan is very high as they have very poor medical facilities and are steeped in traditions that involve the handshake. It represents peace and respect among their communities and proves to be difficult to avoid , all be it necessary to contain the spread of the virus.
Creating awareness to the community about Coronavirus becomes an urgent need as most of the people are illiterate and they are not informed of what is happening around the world, therefore proper orientation and health education for preventive measures are required.
On 31st March, 2020, nine former interns returned to Loreto. Among the group are five trainee nurses, two medical students and two development students. All have returned from their various learning institutes to help prepare for the Coronavirus in the Mary Ward Primary Health Care Center (LPHCC).
Each week the group divides and enters into the community trying to educate them on the Coronavirus disease, how it can be transmitted and how to try to prevent it happening in the area. These graduates are finding this extremely difficult as many villages are constructed in a way that social distancing is not possible. Many of the families have to share beds, bedding materials and all household utensils.
They are also finding it difficult to guide the males section of the community but they are hoping to change this as it is vital that the community works as a whole to protect themselves against this virus.
Teaching the community about the risks of the virus
Teaching handwashing at the waterbanks
“Over the last 3 weeks, the medical team has been able to outreach to different 49 water points, boreholes training total number of 3,010 people, mostly women.
The medical team is motivated by the willingness of the community members to take up the preventive measures in controlling the spread of the virus and they look forward to targeting a bigger group in the next few weeks.”
Information via www.loretorumbek.ie