Integrated WASH and Health  Programme for CommunitiesaAt Risk of Famine in Akobo County ltpgtltbrgtDecades of severe conflict, subnational violence, climate-related shocks, poor public investment and a declining economy have contributed to poor access to essential services for communities in South Sudan, including health, nutrition, Child Protection (CP), MHPSS and WASH. As a result, the population in need has been increasing. The most recent HNO indicates that 9.43 million people will be in need in 2023(According to HNO 2023), a 5% increase from the 8.9 million people reported in 2022.  Among those in need, 6 million need WASH support, 5.9 million need health and 2.1 million need nutrition support. Within Akobo specifically, over 80% of the population is identified as needing support. As part of continued efforts to improve access to life-saving services among conflict and disaster-affected, and vulnerable populations in Akobo East and West counties, Save the Children (SC) proposes to implement a 12-month ‘Integrated Health and WASH Programme for Communities At Risk of Famine in Akobo’ project which also mainstreams CP, gender, and disability inclusion to ensure quality and comprehensives support to affected communities. The project aims to save lives and reduce morbidity by providing life-saving humanitarian assistance and through a multi-sectoral response to the most vulnerable people. To achieve this goal, two components are proposed: ltbrgtlt/pgtltp style="margin-top:9.95ptmargin-right:0cmmargin-bottom:
9.95ptmargin-left:0cm" class="MsoNormal"gtltspan lang="EN-US"gta) Improved access to quality
comprehensive and integrated primary health care and Gender Based Violence (GBV) services ltspan style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif color: black" lang="EN-US"gtto a total of 14, 894 (catchment population of the
targeted Buong PHCC)lt/spangt host
communities and displaced populations in Akobo County. Proposed
activities include the provision of CMR services to GBV survivors (on all 4
components, i.e., Comprehensive physical exam,
including injury care and Hepatitis B and Tetanus vaccinations, Emergency
contraception, STI prevention and treatment and post-exposure HIV prophylaxis),
Support referral to secondary care facilities, Refresher training of health
workers, e.g., basic emergency obstetric and newborn care (BEMONC) and
community-based awareness on health issues including MHPSS. SC will implement primary health care services in 1 Health facility, namely Buong PHCC. ltbrgtlt/spangtlt/pgtltp class="MsoNormal"gtltspan style="font-size: 14px" lang="EN-US"gtb)Improved access to clean and safe water,
essential sanitation and hygiene facilities to nutrition facilities. WASH
interventions will focus on activities aimed at interrupting the transmission
of faecal pathogens from the environment to humans, which will contribute
directly to reducing the causal effect of malnutrition in the community.
The project will ensure the provision of safe drinking water at households and
nutrition centres, the construction of improved latrines at nutrition centres to reduce open defecation and cut the transmission route for E. coli
found in faecal matter.  Hygiene promotion
will also be key, especially on handwashing with soap at 5 critical times.
Furthermore, the project will raise awareness of safe hygiene practices will be
in cooperate in IYCF messaging. SC will reach 13,716 men, women, boys and girls through this component, which will be implemented in Akobo East and in the following nutrition centres: Kout, Dilule, Wachjkion, Gakdong, Nyijule and Okaultbrgtlt/spangtltbrgtlt/pgtltp class="MsoNormal"gtltspan lang="EN-US"gt

ltspan lang="EN-US"gtSC has a strong presence in Akobo East. In
2021, Save the Children implemented an
emergency health project with support from RRF–IOM, South Sudan Humanitarian
Fund and is currently supporting a nutrition program in the county including
Food Security and Livelihoods. SCI also implements a BHA-funded health
project and a UNICEF health and
nutrition in Akobo East. SC intends to build on this experience and also expand into Akobo West through the implementation of this project by adding support for ltspan style="" lang="EN-US"gtone additional facility (Buong PHCC) in addition to the 5 health facilities currently supported in Akobo West. lt/spangtlt/spangtlt/spangtlt/pgtltbrgt