South Sudan Medical Journal (May 2020)
South Sudan COVID-19 Preparedness
Abstract
The nations of the world were confronted with a global health emergency after the World health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Restrictions and regulations were imposed to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The recommendations from WHO and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) formed the basis for limiting the spread of the virus but implementation has varied between countries. The South Sudan government established a COVID-19 management structure with a High-Level Task Force (HLTF) chaired by the First Vice President Dr Riek Machar Teny soon after the declaration of the pandemic. This Task Force coordinates and communicates to the people of South Sudan the measures needed for the prevention of spread of the disease. The major decisions are border closures, travel restrictions, lockdown, and social distancing.