Implementation of COVID-19 emergency response strategies in South Sudan

This paper assesses emergency management strategies implemented in South Sudan during the COVID-19 pandemic, using publicly available government, private sector, and academic sources. A structured analysis of key components of emergency response – human resources, health service delivery, and logistics – was conducted. This investigation was conducted due to the many healthcare barriers faced by South Sudan that led to distinct challenges in managing the pandemic, largely driven by the combined effects of conflict and inadequate funding on the country's healthcare system. 

The results showed that despite interventions by the Ministry of Health (MOH), a lack of trust in the government and healthcare system, security challenges, limited resources, and dependence on international aid acted as significant barriers to the country's pandemic response. The vaccination campaign in South Sudan was particularly challenging, with only a small percentage of the nation being vaccinated by 2023 despite efforts to increase coverage. Despite data limitations to assessing the strategies implemented across the pandemic, this study can still inform approaches to future public health emergencies.