Emergency health services to conflict affected populations in Akobo town, Juba and Malakal POCs International Medical Corps’ strategy for 2016 in South Sudan is to work closely with partners and other stakeholders to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks and increase immunization coverage for children under 5, increase support to mobile medical units, and continue to provide life-saving sexual and reproductive health and neonatal care in Akobo Hospital outpatient department, Juba and Malakal POCs. Mental health is integrated in all of IMC’s health projects.

Malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia remain the top causes of morbidity and mortality in children under 5. International Medical Corps primary health care clinics will continue to provide medical consultations for the population targeting the common causes of mortality and morbidity while conducting prevention activities like EPI and health education. IMC will be incorporating mental health into primary health activities. Capacity building of national staff will also be a top priority in improving quality of care provided in the health facilities.

IMC will continue to strengthen both the IDSR and EWARNS disease surveillance systems to detect the occurrence of disease outbreaks as was the case in 2015. Index cases of cholera and measles were detected in IMC health facilities in the PoCs in 2015. This helped mount a timely and effective response resulting in zero in-facility deaths and containment of the epidemics in the Juba PoC. Early in July 2016, a cholera epidemic was again reported of which 82 cases have so far been treated in Juba POC with a case fatality rate of 0%. Juba Teaching Hospital is under direct administration of the Ministry of Health. It’s a national referral hospital functioning on cost recovery mode. The IDPs in Juba POC continue to express serious concern regarding their safety and security whenever a case requiring additional care is to be referred to this hospital. Many IDPs have refused this offer but preferred to remain in the POC to develop undesired complications.
 
In all three program locations International Medical Corps will be providing psychosocial support services and integrating mental health into the primary care package.

Through the proposed activities, IMC UK intends to increase access to and utilization of quality primary  health care and integrated mental health and HIV/AIDS services, improve access to quality reproductive, maternal,  newborn and child health care and integrated life-saving medical and psychosocial support to survivors of GBV.

IMC UK currently operates GBV prevention and response programs in Malakal, Akobo and Juba. Following the IASC Gender in Emergencies guideline, International Medical Corps streamlines gender principles in all services. Gender equality and equity issues are being addressed in ongoing project activities in Akobo Hospital outpatient department, Malakal and Juba PoCs through gender mainstreaming activities. 

IMC UK is an independent affiliate of International Medical Corps (IMC), with which it shares the same name, charitable objectives and mission.  IMC UK and IMC work together to deliver assistance programs in an accountable and effective manner in pursuit of their commonly-held charitable objectives.  IMC will be performing services under any agreement that results from this proposal under the supervision of IMC UK.