ARDF, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, delivers integrated primary and secondary healthcare services across Central Equatoria, Upper Nile, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states. The program expands access to essential health services while strengthening local health systems for vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations.

At the secondary level, ARDF supports Malakal Teaching Hospital, providing advanced care including surgical services and management of complex medical conditions. In 2025, ARDF delivered 262,900 outpatient consultations, demonstrating broad service reach and sustained demand.

Core Interventions

• Outpatient consultations for common communicable and non-communicable diseases.
• Integrated service delivery in health facilities and displacement settings in collaboration with the MoH.
• Management of HIV and tuberculosis, including treatment of complications and clinical management of rape.
• Epidemic preparedness and response, including surveillance systems and frontline response to outbreaks such as cholera.
• Capacity building of healthcare workers in reproductive health, mhGAP, IDSR, HIV/TB care, and IPC.
• Strengthening referral systems for timely transfer of severe and complicated cases.
• Community health promotion and service delivery through outreach workers, BHI, and iCCM.

South Sudan faces one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with 1,223 deaths per 100,000 live births according to the World Bank. Leading causes include infection, hemorrhage, and obstructed labor, compounded by limited skilled health workers, weak infrastructure, poor access to services, dysfunctional referrals, and harmful socio-cultural practices.

One in four children dies before the age of five, largely from preventable conditions such as malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea. ARDF responds through integrated maternal and child health services in supported primary healthcare facilities.

ARDF MCH Interventions

• Comprehensive maternal and child healthcare, including ANC, PNC, routine immunization, EmONC, and strengthened referral systems.
• Targeted support for high-risk pregnancies, with integration of mental health and psychosocial support services.
• Prevention and treatment of diseases, including clinical management of rape and integrated HIV/AIDS services.
• Community-based child health interventions through BHI and iCCM for malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea.
• Capacity building of health workers through training, mentorship, and supportive supervision.

Psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and epilepsy are increasingly prevalent in South Sudan. Despite the growing burden, services remain limited because of shortages of trained professionals, inadequate psychotropic medication availability, and gaps in legal and policy frameworks.

As a key MHPSS provider, ARDF delivers evidence-based pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for individuals with mental, neurological, and substance use conditions across Bahr El Ghazal and Upper Nile states.

• Community awareness to reduce stigma.
• Psychoeducation and systematic case identification.
• Individualized case management.
• Referral pathways to specialized care where needed.
• Integration of MHPSS services across project sites.

An estimated 4.3 million women and children in South Sudan are at risk of acute malnutrition. ARDF delivers integrated, community-based nutrition services through 20 static treatment sites and 10 mobile nutrition units, targeting IDPs, returnees, and vulnerable host communities in Nasir, Malakal, Baliet, Akoka, and Aweil Centre counties.

ARDF implements a comprehensive package aligned with CMAM guidelines, including active case finding, screening, treatment of MAM and SAM, and preventive services through MIYCN programming. IPC measures are integrated across all service delivery points.

2025 Results

• 110,200 children under five screened for malnutrition.
• 52,175 caregivers reached with IYCF counseling.
• 8,580 pregnant and lactating women treated for malnutrition.
• Hundreds of community-based Mother Support Groups supported.

Through collaboration with the MoH and partners, ARDF continues to expand access to lifesaving nutrition services, reduce morbidity and mortality, and build resilient community systems to prevent and respond to malnutrition.

ARDF works closely with local communities and government counterparts across all service areas. Within primary healthcare facilities, the majority of staff are locally recruited and supported through continuous training, supervision, and mentorship provided by experienced national and international ARDF personnel.

ARDF partners with state-level Ministries of Health to strengthen health systems through technical support, coaching, and mentoring of frontline health workers. The organization also provides on-the-job training, including digital and electronic capacity-building initiatives, to enhance data collection, reporting, and analysis within HMIS.

Through strong partnerships with national and state Ministries of Health and County Health Departments, ARDF ensures interventions are contextually relevant, effective, and sustainable over the long term.

ARDF works in close collaboration with relevant national and international NGOs, community groups, donor agencies, and host-country governments, cultivating strong relationships to maximize program impact. ARDF also helps strengthen local partner organizations to support sustainability of interventions.

The organization has served as a lead or co-lead agency in various technical working groups and has demonstrated its ability to work strategically and collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.