World Mine Action and World Health days commemorated in Southern Sudan, while hundreds of landmine survivors remain in need of continued care

(Juba: 04 April 2007): Amidst a meningitis outbreak that has claimed 649 lives since the beginning of the year, the United Nations in support of their government counterparts, held a press briefing today in the Southern Sudanese capital Juba to jointly commemorate World Mine Action and World Health days.

"The combination of these two observances is not an accident. In Southern Sudan there have been thousands of fatalities and casualties due to landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), not only during over two decades of war, but up to the present time", said Eliane Duthoit, Head of the local Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), who hosted the event on behalf of United Nations agencies. "Besides epidemic outbreaks, and disease in general, health care in Southern Sudan continues to address the injuries caused by war, including by landmines and UXO", she added.

Over the last five years alone, landmines have caused 2,390 known casualties in Southern Sudan. As progress is made towards recovery and development, the United Nations and partners are not only working to support those affected, or to prevent further suffering. "The cost of landmines in terms of inhibition of agricultural production, food security, economic activities, and freedom of movement including returns of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), is incalculable", said Elena Rice of the local United Nations Mine Action Office (UNMAO). "Continued work for clearance of landmines and UXO in Southern Sudan is not only live-saving humanitarian work, but is also essential for recovery and development", she added. "In the coming years, we aim to focus more and more on community demining, which has proven to be effective, and directly beneficial to community livelihoods", said Mr. Peter Dukuwani, Programme Manager at the Southern Sudan Demining Commission, UNMAO's domestic partner.

This year alone, meningitis and acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) combined have killed 769 lives in Southern Sudan. While World Health Day 2007 focuses on International Health Security, encouraging governments to "invest in health, build a safer future", communicable diseases remain the main cause of morbidity and mortality in Southern Sudan. "Lack of capacity and human resources in the institutions are the main problems we are facing in our response", said Dr. Stephen Kuol of the Southern Sudan Ministry of Health, who announced today that the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) is to build new hospitals, in the capitals of each of Southern Sudan's ten states.

Dr. Michaleen Richer, Officer-in-Charge of the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Juba Office, appealed to the media to spread awareness about a current AWD outbreak. "Please tell everyone to stop drinking unsafe water from the Nile, or they will be at serious risk of catching AWD and dying", she said.

Ms. Duthoit reiterated a request to the local media, to help raise awareness on key messages related to health and landmines. "We must reach all children to make them aware of the dangers of landmines and UXO. We must reach every family to stress upon them the importance of vaccinations against measles and polio, and currently meningitis. If we can do this, we will have accomplished a crucial function of our mandate, potentially saving thousands of lives".

For further information, please contact:

Maurizio Giuliano, Public Information Officer, Office of the United Nations Deputy Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Juba, Email: giuliano@un.org, Tel: +236-031825

Melissa Phillips, Coordination and Information Officer, Office of the United Nations Deputy Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Juba, Email: phillipsm@un.org, Tel.: +249-91-2501652

Stephanie Bunker, Spokesperson, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), New York, Email: bunker@un.org, Tel: +1-212-9175126

Elizabeth Byrs, Spokesperson, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Geneva, Email: byrs@un.org, Tel: +41-22-9172653