The Challenge 

Twenty-one years of civil war has crippled the healthcare infrastructure of South Sudan, leaving countless people without treatment for even the most basic of health problems. The country’s severe lack of health facilities and healthcare professionals means that otherwise treatable diseases—such as leprosy, measles, malaria, and yellow fever—flare into epidemics, ravaging populations across rural parts of the country. Preventable and treatable diseases are one of the leading causes of death in South Sudan, especially amongst women and children.

In the remote mountain village of Omilling, health services are especially limited, with the nearest clinic located 40 miles away. Poor or non-existent roads make it virtually impossible to obtain timely medical attention; with a seven-day walk to the nearest hospital, even a mild case of diarrhea can turn deadly. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to otherwise preventable complications (such as infection, hypertension, anemia, hemorrhaging or obstructed births), which become fatal when left untreated. Consequently, South Sudan has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world: a South-Sudanese woman has a 1 in 7 chance of dying owing to pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. Extreme poverty and a severely inadequate health care system threaten the lives of millions of South Sudanese people, especially  women and children.

The solutions we're proposing

The Loheru Health Post, a medical clinic run by W4’s field partner Hope Ofiriha, was created to bridge the gap, providing crucial preventative care, medicine and health education to over 15,000 villagers who have no other healthcare options. The center also offers life-saving midwifery services and maternal health care to pregnant women and their babies. The Loheru Health Post is dramatically improving the health outcomes of women and their families living in and around Omilling.

The impact of giving

Donate today to this innovative program, giving life-saving medicine and essential health care to thousands of villagers who would otherwise be left to suffer from life-threatening illnesses. Your gift will also vastly improve the health prospects of thousands of expectant and new mothers, enabling them to deliver and nurse their babies in a healthy, safe, and caring environment.