Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Response in former Western Equatoria state. The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in Northern Kivu and Ituri provinces in the Democratic Republic, which was declared on the 1st August 2018 has as per the 1st  December 2018 report  registered  a total of 440 cases of EVD, of which 392 are confirmed and 48 are probable. Total number of deaths recorded is 255.  The risk of EVD importation to South Sudan has been rated as ‘very high’ using the WHO EVD preparedness checklist, due to the proximity to the areas currently reporting EVD cases in DRC.  Moreover, the ongoing crisis that has affected general delivery of services including healthcare, the presence of refugees from DRC in parts of former Western Equatorial State (WES) and Yei River State, and the porous border with DRC increases the risk of EVD spreading across the border to South Sudan. High rates of cross-border movement, as well as insecurity and a deteriorating humanitarian situation in North Kivu are also seen as factors that increase the risk of transmission. It has been noted that the current measures in place are not adequate to undertake effective prevention of EVD in South Sudan hence the need to scale up all the current activities to cover the entire high- risk area remains critical.  Western Equatoria state is considered among the areas of risk of importing EVD from DRC to South Sudan because of population movement and trade between the two countries. The EVD national taskforce considers Yambio, Gangura, Ezo - Nabiapai and Makpandu as areas of high risk. World Vision South has so far set 5 BH/POE screening points (Yambio airport, Sakure, Ezo/ Nabia pai, Makpandu, Gangura) and has also established 4 isolation facilities. 
Through this SSHF reserve allocation, WVSS seeks to support the Ebola preparedness and response in Yambio, Makpandu, Sakure, Ezo – Nabiapai and Gangura in the former Western Equatoria State. The fund is important in this response as it will provide timely support to the critical needs of the EVD preparedness and response. The proposed project will mainly focus on strengthening and making fully functional the isolation facilities, scaling surveillance at the healthcare facilities, and ensuring that infection prevention and control is adhere implemented in line with the MOH/WHO EVD standard operating procedures (SOPs). All cases which will be referred from the secondary points of screening will be kept in the isolation facilities where blood sample will be collect and ailment such as fever or malaria will be managed. Once the Ebola result is confirmed position, the case will be referred from the isolation facility to the ETU/ETC which will be managed by MSF Spain in Yambio town.  Because of this, WVSS will ensure that there is a clear referral pathway between the BH/POE sites and isolation facilities and from the isolation facilities to the designated Ebola treatment unit. 
This project will focus on the following strategic priorities: 1) case management, infection prevention and control (IPC), 2) surveillance and laboratory capacity, and 3) strengthen health facilities readiness at high risk border counties  in Yambio, Sakura, Makpandu, Gangura and Nabiapai for early detection, and referral of EVD suspected cases from the health facility to the isolation facility.