South-Sudan COVID-19 Joint Response 2020 The COVID-19 outbreak in South Sudan comes against the backdrop of an already dire humanitarian situation, since 7.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance (HNO, 2020). Tonj North (T.N), a county with a COVID Risk of 4,33/10, has to deal with inter-communal clashes on top of the COVID-19 thread.
WASH: only 38% of the households in South Sudan reported having access to safe water. According to an assessment done in February 2020 in T.N 220 out of the 350 handpumps are non-functional due to the lack of spare parts and poor maintenance. Women and girls have to walk approximately 3km to the nearest water point and these sources are often crowded increasing the risk of being exposed to Covid-19. In addition, there is limited access to hand washing facilities both at household levels and at public places.
Health: 56% of the population of South Sudan does not have access to primary health care services. Out of the 2.300 facilities more than 1.300 are non-functional (HNO, 2020). Available health centers are overcrowded, and are lacking both PPE, materials and supplies to treat patients.
Protection: 7.5 million South Sudanese are in need of emergency assistance while 1.85 million of these (25%) require GBV support (HNO, 2020). Schools are closed since March 2020 and children are at increased risk of becoming a victim of GBV. On top of this over 95,000 in T.N are displaced as a result of the communal conflicts. Tonj North is one of the priority locations for GBV (HRP June ’20).
World Vision (WV) in partnership with The Organisation for Children Harmony (TOCH) focuses on an integrated response to increase the access to safe water (rehabilitation of 14 water sources), distribution of soap, and hand washing facilities in schools and health facilities; increase the capacity of health workers’ access to necessary supplies and equipment to prevent the spread of COVID-19; and increase the capacity to deliver adequate SGBV and psychosocial support. Soap and handwashing facilities are being distributed among 8 schools (4800 children) and 4 Primary Health Care Centers (PHCC) with high patient volumes (1.200 patient visits per facility per month) in combination with hygiene promotion messages. In addition, 14 non-functional handpumps are being rehabilitated and all 16 technicians of T.N are being trained on maintenance. To enhance proper water management and also enforce the COVID-19 restrictions as opposed by the government, the water user committees are trained (126 people; >30% women).
At the PHCC level the focus is on increasing the primary health consultation through engagement of Boma Health Workers (BHWs) linked to the 4 PHCCs. BHWs (80) will be trained on COVID-19 prevention, and is incentivized for referral of clients for curative services. The 4 PHCCs are being equipped to provide service delivery through employment of 2 clinical officers and 4 registered nurses. This increases the capacity of the PHCCs to treat patients. In addition, 60 health workers are equipped with PPE and trained on how to offer curative services during this COVID-19 pandemic. Four temporary shelters and 200 benches will be constructed at each of the PHCC to allow social distancing following the MoH guidelines.
Two friendly spaces for women and children are constructed and volunteers are trained to provide protection prevention messages. The project’s social workers are guiding these women and children to engage in life skills activities and at the same time create awareness around forced marriage, child marriage and other SGBV issues and distribute PEP kits to survivors. Community action teams and volunteers receive training and support to conduct monitoring visits and prevention messaging (integrating info on COVID-19) in 5 payams in T.N to offer referral guidance to those in need. There is a case manager offering PSS in the friendly spaces. All project staff before deployment undergoes a training on Accountability to Affected Population (AAP), HR systems, PSEA, Code of Conduct and Do No Harm. The community will be briefed on the same and required to provide feedback through an agreed and appropriate beneficiary feedback mechanism. Target communities will be engaged through the project cycle and beneficiaries disaggregated based on their level of vulnerability. Due to protracted communal conflicts in T.N, women and children have been significantly affected by armed conflict and continued displacement, resulting in limited access to services. The project is sensitive to ensure that women, children, elderly and persons living with disabilities (PLWD) are included while mainstreaming protection monitoring especially for women and girls on SGBV. For WASH the project will take into account both genders (committees), elderly and PLWD (design ensure access) and children in schools, health centres and other public places.