Flooded roads, lifesaving care: how CERF support saved a child in Fangak County, Jonglei State

Juba- When severe flooding submerged large parts of Fangak County in Jonglei State, entire communities were cut off from basic services. Roads disappeared under water. Health facilities were damaged or became inaccessible. Families were stranded without transport. For many, even a minor illness could turn life-threatening.

For 33-year-old Mary from Pajiok village in Patia Payam, Fangak County, 23 September will forever remain etched in her memory, a day marked by panic andpain. Her three-month-old baby boy had accidentally fallen into a basin of hot water at home.

I was terrified," Mary recalled. "My child's skin burned, and she cried uncontrollably. The roads were flooded, and the nearest hospital was far. I did not know what to do."

In previous years, such an accident could have ended in tragedy. But this time, help was close.

Like many rural communities in flood affected Jonglei State, Mary's, hope came through the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)- CERF-funded emergency health response, WHO prepositioned interagency emergency health kits in Fangak County and trained mobile clinic teams to deliver lifesaving care in flood-affected areas. These WHO-supported mobile clinics are operated by trained health workers from the County Health Department, in partnership with Healthcare Foundation Organization (HFO), ensuring that remote and cut-off communities can access essential emergency health services despite the flooding.

When community health worker Mr. Kuol Jiel Chuol heard about the accident, he quickly escorted Mary and her child to the Patia Mobile Clinic. There, health worker Mr. Tut Riek who was on duty provided immediate burn management, pain relief, infection prevention and stabilization.

This was a very serious case," said Mr. Riek. "Without the mother's quick action and the medicines, we received from WHO, the child's condition would have worsened quickly. Thankfully, we had the right medicine and training we were able to act immediately to stabilize the baby."

The intervention that saved Mary's child came from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF)-funded emergency health kits that had been prepositioned by WHO before peak flooding. This rapid availability of supplies was critical. In flood-affected settings like Fangak, referral to distant hospitals is often impossible.

This intervention helped prevent avoidable deaths, especially among children under five, and strengthened the county's capacity to respond to emergencies. By combining prepositioned supplies, trained personnel, and mobile outreach, the response ensured that communities cut off by floods were not cut off from care.

"Thanks to the timely and flexible support from CERF, WHO has been able to rapidly preposition and distribute emergency health kits and essential medical supplies to flood-affected states," said Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative to South Sudan. "These critical supplies including interagency emergency health kits, cholera treatment kits, and pneumonia management kits have enabled frontline health workers to continue delivering lifesaving care and have become a vital lifeline for remote and isolated communities." In fragile and climate-affected contexts like Fangak, timely and flexible funding is essential. CERF enabled rapid action, protected lives, and reinforced trust between communities and the health system.

For Mary, the story ends with gratitude and renewed hope. Her baby has recovered fully. She now encourages other mothers in her community to seek help from the mobile clinics when in need. One family's story stands as a reminder of what timely emergency health support can achieve.