JUBA, June 3 (Xinhua) — The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Wednesday that it has entered into a partnership with the South Sudanese government and other United Nations agencies to ramp up surveillance at the country’s borders to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The UN migration agency said a joint team led by government officials recently completed assessment on the establishment of an entry point in Wunthou, Renk, a county bordering the Blue Nile state of Sudan.

“Renk is an important and busy trade and humanitarian corridor,” Jean-Philippe Chauzy, IOM South Sudan’s chief of mission, said in a statement issued in Juba.

With 40 to 50 trucks moving across the border each week, Renk has proven to be an important trading hub and is vital to the humanitarian aid lifeline connecting South Sudan and Sudan, Chauzy said.

“As a first step and before establishing a fully-fledged point of entry, infection prevention and control measures such as the installation of handwashing stations must be in place as well as proper management of suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19,” he said.

Chauzy said the team assessed the preparedness and capacity to carry out border management, and found that protracted disputes over demarcation between Sudan and South Sudan due to lack of shared intelligence, leaving movement across the borders uncoordinated.

Zacharia Modi, director of public health in the ministry of health, said: “It is an important step to ensure that while we keep borders open for essentials and humanitarian relief, we do so while taking precautions that protect the public from COVID-19 transmission.”

Modi noted the need to strengthen the capacities of local authorities, frontline officers and local partners in responding to the pandemic, including improving the current infrastructure that is not yet adequate to respond to the health crisis.

“We are very pleased that this joint assessment with the International Organization for Migration and other partners took place,” Modi said.

South Sudan has 1,317 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with six recoveries and 14 deaths, as of Tuesday. Enditem

Source: Xinhuanet

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