South Sudan Health Empowering All Lives (South Sudan HEAL)

Conflict with Sudan ended in 2005, and South Sudan became an independent country in 2011. Recurrent violence in December 2013 has delayed progress within this new country. Health statistics are among the worst in the world, due to extreme poverty, poor government capacity, weak infrastructure including communication and transportation, poor hygiene, illiteracy, poor nutrition, low agricultural production, and inadequate medicines, supplies, and trained staff in government health facilities, particularly in the rural areas. Pregnant women and children under 5 years are at the greatest risk for illness and death, especially from malaria, as well as pneumonia, and diarrhea. Maternal mortality is alarmingly high in pregnancy or childbirth due to the lack of adequate trained birth attendants, isolated villages and difficult transportation. High adult illiteracy rates have resulted in a serious lack of understanding about common health problems and methods of disease prevention and treatment. Trauma as a consequence of years of war and tribal violence affects all aspects of healthy family life.