South Sudan continues to face one of the highest rates of child malnutrition globally, with an estimated 2.1 million children under five at risk of acute malnutrition. Of these, about 670,000 are severely wasted and 1.44 million are moderately wasted. In response to this crisis, the Ministry of Health, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, is scaling up efforts to ensure that children across all ten States and three administrative areas receive timely, lifesaving care.
These efforts are powered by dedicated health workers and partner organizations working relentlessly to strengthen the healthcare system. Their impact is visible in stabilization centers and hospitals across the country. According to Khamisa Ayoub, Director for Nutrition at the Ministry of Health, WHO’s continued support has played a vital role in improving inpatient care for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and medical complications. This support includes the development of clinical guidelines, updated training packages, revised job aids, provision of SAM kits, and capacity building for staff working in stabilization centers.
A major milestone in this initiative is the introduction of WHO’s Quality-of-Care Improvement Tool for stabilization centers. This structured guide, aligned with global standards, helps facilities provide consistent, high-quality treatment. Forty-seven health workers from fifteen stabilization centers in Juba, Torit, and Yambio have been trained to use the tool. The pilot at Al Sabah Children’s Hospital helped identify critical gaps and informed the development of an action plan. Health workers also received essential equipment, updated guidelines, and job aids to support implementation. Dr. Gawar, a paediatrician at Al Sabah Children’s Hospital, noted that the WHO training and supplies have transformed care for children with severe acute malnutrition, enabling staff to deliver more consistent and effective services adapted to local needs.
These interventions are giving thousands of children a renewed chance at survival. Mothers arriving at stabilization centers now find trained staff, clear treatment protocols, and improved systems for clinical care. However, despite the notable gains, persistent challenges remain. Preventable deaths continue to occur, highlighting the need for sustained investment in nutrition and child health services.
Data from Al Sabah Children’s Hospital’s monthly paediatric death audits show that more than half of child deaths occur in stabilization centers. The leading causes include severe malaria, pneumonia, sepsis, and acute watery diarrhea with dehydration or shock—conditions particularly dangerous for young children whose bodies are still developing and more vulnerable to infection. These alarming numbers highlight that malnutrition is not only a medical issue but a broader humanitarian crisis with deep social consequences. South Sudan’s child mortality indicators remain among the highest in the world, with an infant mortality rate of 63.3 per 1,000 live births and an under-five mortality rate of 97.9 per 1,000.
Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative to South Sudan, emphasized that malnutrition affects every part of a child’s life, hindering physical development, learning, and long-term well-being. He stated that seeing children die from preventable causes is unacceptable, underscoring WHO’s commitment to working with the Ministry of Health and partners to strengthen nutrition services and ensure that no child is left behind. The new Quality-of-Care Improvement Tool supports clinicians, pediatricians, nutritionists, and nurses in enhancing treatment and improving outcomes in stabilization centers nationwide.
Through these combined efforts, South Sudan continues to take critical steps toward closing the nutrition gap and protecting the lives of its most vulnerable children.
