Background

Southern Sudan is emerging from two decades of civil war which has devastated the regions’ structures for social services. Most of the population lacks access to health care, education, clean water and sanitation. The region’s lack of services coupled with chronic insecurity and debilitating poverty has had profound implication on health conditions of the communities.

It is estimated that over 70% of the Sudanese population living in endemic areas are at risk of malaria. In the Southern Sudan, malaria is hyper-endemic and holoendemic where 24-36% of individuals are affected. Local capacity for response to malaria is inadequate due to poverty an extreme climatic factors leading to proliferation of mosquito breeding sites , poor infrastructure and poor education. As a result the majority of the population has little or no information and limited access to the prevention and management of malaria. The Malaria Control Programme focuses on scaling up malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment through community based services.

Objectives
The objectives of the Malaria Control Programme are as follows:
- To ensure that at least 80% of women of child bearing age and children under the age of 5 years in the areas of operation sleep under LLINs/ITNs by the end of the program
- To ensure intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) to 70% of all pregnant women in the areas of operation by the end of the program
- To ensure that 80% of patients with uncomplicated malaria in the areas of operation receive early diagnosis and are provided with prompt and effective treatment by the end of the program
- To ensure that 60% of patients with severe malaria in the areas of operation are timely diagnosed and receive correct treatment by the end of the program
- To improve the ability to predict and contain malaria epidemics
- To increase the local capacity to enhance health management systems for effective malaria control
- To produce up-to-date information on malaria

Snapshots of the project's major achievements
• 711,783 (LLITNs) were distributed to the target population.
• 4411, services deliverers were trained on LLITNs distribution.
• 2,639 TBAs, MCHWs and health personnel were trained on IPT provision
• 82,588 pregnant women were given intermittent preventive anti-malaria treatment
• 616,852 patients with uncomplicated malaria were treated according to WHO guidelines
• 29,512, patients with severe malaria were given treatment according to WHO's guidelines
• 71%, of health facilities have no stock-out of antimalarial drugs
• 1, 622, health workers have being trained on emergency preparedness (prediction and containment of epidemics)
• 381, health facilities are following WHO's EWARN (Early Warning and Response Network) for Southern Sudan
• 1, 968, health service deliverers trained in health information system
• 168, health facilities are currently implementing revised Health Information System (HIS)
this project also contributes to strengthening health system in Southern Sudan through; staff recruitments, trainings, procurement of Vehicles, IT equipments, Laboratory equipments and consumables, LLITNs and anti malaria drugs.