Background
On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared that the outbreak of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, constituted a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), based on the recommendation of the Emergency Committee. Within less than six weeks,
the increasingly global spread of this coronavirus infection – characterized by a high level of human-to-human transmission and substantially significant rates of morbidity and mortality – was 3 South Sudan COVID-19 National Deployment and Vaccination Plan - 2021 declared a pandemic on 11th March 2020. As a disease entity, this condition has become known as COVID-19.
Key preventive-focused, public health risk reduction measures for reducing the potential for SARS-CoV-2 transmission have been implemented within South Sudan. These include the promotion of maintaining social distancing from other persons, regular hand washing, the wearing of facial masks, and the banning of large social gatherings. These mitigating actions have been 4 South Sudan COVID-19 National Deployment and Vaccination Plan - 2021 widely communicated to the general public and have been adopted/practiced to a variable , and at times less - than - required , degree of compliance.
Based on the accumulation and analysis of a vast amount of epidemiological surveillance data over the past year, a scientific consensus has developed in support of the research and development of efficacious vaccine candidates. Several scientifically rigorous clinical trials to determine the level of vaccine efficacy through antibody formation against SARS-CoV-2, a number of vaccines have been or are in the process of being identified as capable of reducing COVID-19 incidence in those who have been vaccinated compared to an unvaccinated cohort. Such development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines and their implementation in national public health vaccine campaigns have reductions in morbidity and mortality as their principal aim. Based on the evidence to-date derived from the clinical trials performed and the recently commenced COVID-19 vaccine campaigns being conducted in several countries, achieving a protective level of herd immunity within populations against SARS-CoV-2 is a realistic and justifiable goal of vaccinating against COVID-19.
Through UNICEF funding, ARDF has been able to vaccinate 6547 persons in Akoka County, Upper Nile state with J&J vaccine between November 2022 and May 2023. This was made possible through the intensive social mobilisation, community engagement and advocacy conducted by ARDF field staffs in collaboration with CHD, humanitarian coordination.
Project Goal
The project goal is to implement the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
Target Population
The project had targeted a total of 2,240 people in Akoka County, Upper Nile state. By the end of May 2023, ARDF was able to vaccinate a total of 6,547 persons with J&J vaccine making a 125% coverage superseding the donor target of 100%.