1. Rapid Response Teams in unstable Context:
2018 Global Health Exchange Conference
Rapid Response Teams in unstable Context:
GOAL South Sudan Experience in Upper Nile state
By Daniel Muhungura, GOAL Roving Health Advisor

2. GOAL has been operational in Baliet and Ulang counties, Upper Nile State since GOAL is the lead Health provider in these counties providing lifesaving curative and preventive care, responding to communicable disease outbreaks and the delivery of the Basic Package of Health Services for South Sudan.

3. Providing Health Care South Sudan – Upper Nile State
2.18 million people displaced
85% are woman and children
HEALTH CARE SERVICES CHALLENGES
Agency traditional provided health care in static sites such as IDP camps
Operating in conflicting zone for humanitarian workers in SS remains very dangerous.
Population constantly move across state lines and become unreachable
Health facilities ransacked and closed
Delivering humanitarian Aid requires agencies to be innovative and agile.
Constant displacement of IDPs from one IDP camp to another as they repeatedly flee conflicts means aid workers can never be static.
Rising malnutrition rates GAM rates of approx % in children under 5yrs and 30.8% in among pregnant and lactating women
GOAL RESPONSE
Establishing a mobile Health, Nutrition and Emergency WASH Teams in IDP areas. These heath teams followed IDPs every time they moved and delivered services in the new locations.
For example IOM funded project June to Sept 2018 focused on screening and management of Acute malnutrition, consultation of common illnesses, Antenatal Care, Vaccination.
Lessons learned being used to design flexibly constituted teams ready to deploy to respond to emergencies across South Sudan.
As most of you are aware the conflict in South Sudan flared up again in 2013 – two years after it became the newest country in the world after a long and protracted civil war with Sudan. Now with over 2.5 million south Sudanese refugees in other countries as well as over 2 million internally displaced (5.3 million households food insecure) – health care challenges are enormous.

4. Lessons Learned and Results of the project Jun – Sept 2018
Activity
Under 5yrs
Over 5yrs
Total
Consultations
1.010
2.210
3,220
ANC
282
TT Vaccination
619
Malnutrition Screening
3,664
2,1018
5,682
Updated Emergency Preparedness Plan among the health cluster partners
In-depth needs assessment immediately after initial rapid assessment
Use of beneficiary feedback mechanisms on actual needs– allows adapting the response.
Internal resources allows starting the response without delays.
Trained health providers among the IDPs