Data Story: Are South Sudanese Artists Benefiting From YouTube? An Analysis of 08 Channels

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By David Uku

South Sudan faces the challenge of copyright–ownership of the song, songwriter, and video production as creative works, which is one of the most serious issues confronting and impeding the development of the music industry in South Sudan as a new country in East Africa with vast cultural diversity.

Furthermore, like most artists’ performances in the music era, many fans do not pay their Artist for the effort they put in as musicians, and the Artists complain.

In other parts of the world, an artist’s financial success is often derived from revenue generated by their fans attending their show, downloading the video, or viewing their YouTube channel, because YouTube channels use algorithms, and if more people suggest the song, the view will rise as the song becomes top searches and suggested on YouTube, and money will flow in.

How do South Sudanese artists benefit from YouTube? 211 Check used the Social blade to analyze the artists’ songs on YouTube to determine how much money they make from their YouTube channel activities.

 SILVER X

The Best Male Artist of the year 2018 and Eye Radio Awards 2019 and he give himself the nickname Music machine as the most produced music in the country, he created his channel on 23 July 2016 until now his channel reached subscribers (2.95K) and videos views (159,034) and has uploaded (85) videos on his channel.

On 14-09-2021 Silver X published a new video song on YouTube called (Monia), the video was shot-in Uganda- Kampala in high quality because of the lack of data we didn’t know the cost of video producer but according to the social blade that we used to analysis revenue of each video or song on YouTube.

That makes it easier for us to see how much money the song Monia from the first day it was published until now the results show it has (13.6k) Views, (330) comments on YouTube and the revenue is only ($7-$54) according to the social blade analysis.

 LADY KOLA

Lady Kola, who creates most of the beautiful things that go into making wonderful music, has music. She is known as Music Sankara and is also a DJ and Model; she started her channel on September 25, 2019 and has since gained 9.55K subscribers, 69,690 video views, and uploaded (12) videos.

According to the social blade analysis, on 10-09-2021, the Queen of Shamashin Lady Kola published a new video song on YouTube called (Toronto), and how much money the song Toronto from the first day it was published until now the results show it has (11.3k) views, (79) comments on YouTube, and the revenue is only ($6-$45).

MARY BOYOI,

Mary Boyoi always said “I am taking South Sudan music to international level kalas”  she created her channel on 05 Jan 2012 until now his channel reached subscribers (25.8K) and videos views (3,252,954) and uploaded (51) videos on his channels.

On 16-07-2021 Mary Boyoi as a first Lady published a new video song on YouTube called (Marry me kalas), from the first day it was published until now the results show it has (23.2k) Views, (46) comments on YouTube and the revenue is only ($12-$93) according to the social blade analysis.

DJ CENT MR NO REST,

MR NO REST, he Named himself like that because he works all-time at music to produce more work as he always said DJ cent Mr No Rest; he creates his channel on 08th March 2017 until now his channel reach subscribers (2.54K) and videos views (158,213) and upload (52) videos on his channels.

On 19-09-2021 DJ Cent Mr No Rest publish a new video song on YouTube called (Binia Wau), from the first day it was published until now the results show it has (7.4k) Views, (44) comments on YouTube and the revenue is only ($4-$30) according to the social blade analysis.

Hardlife Avenue Stars,

“Hardlife Avenue” is a reference to the difficult time and struggles of life, the music is popular in Afro-pop, Rap and Vocal. As the greatest music group  in the country, they created their channel on 06 Sept 2016 until now they have subscribers (7.31K) and video views (1,223,169) and uploaded (85) videos on their channels.

On 18-07-2021 Hardlife Avenue Stars published a new video song on YouTube called (Ana Yau Bi Arif), which is the hit song on Social Media this year, the first day it was published until now the results show it has (88.6k) Views, (123) comments on YouTube and the revenue is only ($44-$354) according to the social blade analysis.

Dynamq,

The founder of Ruka Music and Ruka film and River Nile Crocodile Sudanese Son, besides he is a Singer, Songwriter, sound producer, dancehall and professional DJ. He created his channel on 05 09 2007 until now his channel reached subscribers (11.7K) and videos views (5,457,922) and uploaded (21) videos on his channel.

On 11-01-2013 Dynamq the African DJ that represents South Sudan and Africa in the JAMROCK REGGAE CRUISE SOUND annual festival happening every year in Jamaica, the festival is about love and unity he published a video song on YouTube called (Those days in Nairobi), from the first day it published until now the results show it has (1.1M) Views, (774) comments on YouTube and the revenue are only ($55-$44) according to the social blade analysis.

 Emmanuel Jal,

The author of “War Child: A Child Soldier’s Story”  in his music he mixes Rap in Arabic, English, Dinka and Nuer. The symbolism of unity as music guides him to express ideas of peace and unity. He created his channel on 26 07 2009 until now his channel reached subscribers (9.38K) and videos views (1643,418) and uploaded (110) videos on his channels.

On 25-11-2021 Emmanuel Jal publish a new video song on YouTube called Hey Mama, from the first day it was published until now the results show it has (72.9k) Views, (145) comments on YouTube and the revenue is only ($36-$291) according to the social blade analysis.

 Yaba Angelosi,

The founder of Assida Records and Assida Films, his music mixes catchy African traditional sounds with Western dance music using modern instrumentation and arrangements, he plays guitar, bass, piano and drums above all he is a Singer, Songwriter, sound producer, Film director, and entertainer he created his channel on 15 March 2009 until now his channel gained subscribers (5.36K) and videos views (2,292,498) and uploaded (52) videos on his channels.

On 14-01-2021 DJ Yaba Angelosi published a new video song on YouTube called Something about You, from the first day it was published until now the results show it has (127.8k) Views, (138) comments on YouTube and the revenue is only ($64-$511) according to the social blade analysis.

Conclusion:

211 Check analysis notes that all South Sudanese artists that have channels on YouTube put countries other than South Sudan. For example, Silver X, Hardlife Avenue Stars and Mary Boyoi registered Kenya as the country and Lady Kola created her channel in Uganda, only DJ Cent Mr No Rest didn’t show the Country, Dynamq and Yaba Angelosi created their channels in the United State of America and Emmanuel Jal Create his channel in Canada.

Even the Channel Type; Only Yaba Angelosi and Mary Boyoi have Channel Type for Music, Emmanuel Jal his Channel Type is Film and Dynamq his channel Type is Entertainment and the rest have no Channel Type. This report does not highlight all artists with channels on YouTube but the view of this report analysis is to let the artists know that they have much work to do on their YouTube channels so as to generate more money and more followers; they need to be more flexible on sharing data about producing video so as to make work better to compare revenue generated by Channel and budget of the production.

Most artists should also sign up for the YouTube Partner Programme. This requires them to have at least 1,000 subscribers and have a minimum of 4,000 video watch hours in 12 months so that they can draw in a bigger audience and increase their streams.

About the Authors:

David Uku, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, Data Analyst and Trainer. It’s part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a three months data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualisation for three months (October to December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information

President Kiir has not lifted a partial lockdown211 Check

Fact-Check: President Kiir has not lifted the COVID-19 partial lockdown imposed this week

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By 211 Check Desk

A Facebook post purporting that President Salva Kiir has lifted a partial lockdown imposed by the chair of the National Taskforce on COVID-19, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol earlier this week is FALSE

Misleading Post as shared on Facebook

The post, first chaired by South Sudan Eye, a page with over 47,000 followers, didn’t cite any credible source of the report.

Investigation by 211 Check states that there’s no official known Communication from the office of the President lifting a lockdown.

This week, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, the Vice President for Service Cluster who also chairs the National Taskforce on COVID-19, announced restrictions intended to curb the spread of COVID-19 following a surge in positive cases in recent days. The partial lockdown is valid till 10th January.

Conclusion:

211 Check has looked at a post claiming that President Salva Kiir has lifted an imposed partial lockdown and finds it to be FALSE

#FactsMatter, Don’t be a victim of fake news; instead, let’s fight misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media. To avoid spreading false information, don’t share content you’re not sure about or don’t know where it came from.

To learn more about our fact-checking process, go to https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, and our team will immediately fact-check it and respond.

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Data Story: 90 Killed by a Strange Disease in Fangak County

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By Deng Ghai Deng

Authorities in South Sudan’s Jonglei state are calling for urgent intervention as people and livestock die in alarming numbers after showing symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and general body weakness in Fangak County

Fangak County Commissioner Boutrus Biel says since early November, dozens of people – mostly children and the elderly – have died after experiencing symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and heart pain. Biel says about 90 people including 44 children, 27 elderly and 8 young people have so far died from the disease.

Table Showing Number of People Killed By the Strange Disease

CategoryNumber of Deaths
Children44
Adults08
Elderly27
Total90

“People are dying in Fangak County. There was sudden death and it started on the 2nd of October within the new Fangak town which is the headquarters of the county and also within the surrounding villages of Fangak County. Any time a person dies especially the children, the young ones and the elderly people. So far, we have lost 90 people, the record is that over 90 people have died. We are wondering whether it’s the impact of an oil explosion or something else.”

Table Showing Deaths and Recoveries

Deaths90
Recoveries30
Total Infections120

Commissioner Biel says cattle, sheep and goats are also dying in the area. He says the area has been submerged in floodwaters for some time and local officials suspect the deaths could be linked to toxic water pollution caused by an oil spill.

“The cattle and goats have been dying because of water. You could see thing they are all grassing in water. Some people are taking their cattle to Malakal- the dry area- some are going to Pigi County in the site of cannel; some have gone across the river to Shuluk land and as far as Ruweng administrative areas. These are challenging times now for Fangak County, cattle are really dying and when there are no cattle it becomes difficult because that is the livelihood of the people.”

Commissioner Biel says he wrote to Jonglei state Governor Denay Jock Chagor about the deaths in Fangak, asking for an urgent intervention.

Responding to the calls, the Director-General of Preventive Health Services at the Ministry of Health, says a team of health professionals has already been organized and has been dispatched to the area.

“One important recommendation is to deploy a national response team to Fangak to investigate the reported increased morbidity and mortality in the area,” Dr. Romunu told reporters.

According to Dr. Joseph Francis Wamala, a Senior Epidemiologist at the W.H.O, the team will collect samples from the environment and those affected.

“There is actually a lack of a full range for all the other basic needs. So these teams will have the national response team and they will collect samples from those who are affected,” Dr. Wamala said.

Tuong Majok, the acting governor of Jonglei state says he notified national authorities about the situation in Fangak County after visiting the area with WHO and UNMISS officials.

“A team of World Health Organization, UNMISS and other agencies plus myself went to the location where the outbreak has taken place. It came to the surface of the water like oil and that’s why people are saying it is oil. We have reported this to the national government; the state has no experts. We reported it to the ministry of petroleum and the ministry of environment so that they can go to the location and see with their own eyes what the cause of this eruption is.” Majok said

Acting governor Majok says an investigation must be carried out immediately to avert a catastrophe. ASCOM is an oil and gas corporation from Moldova that operated in the area but left the country after the start of the conflict in December, 2013. Majok says an environmental impact assessment has not been conducted since the petroleum firm stopped operations in Fangak County more than seven years ago.

About the Authors:

Deng Ghai Deng, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, Data Analyst and Trainer. It’s part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a three-month data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualisation for three months (October to December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information

Number of Street Children in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal per County211 Check

Data Story: More than 500 children continue to roam in the streets of Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State

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By Ngor Deng Matem

As the number of children living on the streets in South Sudan remains constant, a Data Speaks program researched and investigated the lives of these children in NBGs-Aweil.

According to the data gathered, the state’s ministry of gender and social welfare has confirmed the presence of 513 street children.

Joseph Madut Mou, the state Director of Social Welfare says the data was gathered during an assessment they made in February 2021. The majority of street children, according to Madut, are orphans, most of whom between the ages of six and fifteen.

The assessment was carried out with the goal of identifying the number of street children and the reasons why they are subjected to street life. Some of the identified children were collected and transported from Aweil town to a distance of more than 50 kilometers in Aweil West county (Malek Mayar village) for transformation through studies and child care services.

Table Showing Number of Street Children in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal per County

CountyMaleFemaleTotal
Aweil Town Municipality 213104317
Aweil South County343266
Aweil East County211031
Aweil West County231235
Aweil North County331346
Aweil Center County130518
Total337176513
Table Showing Number of Street Children in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal per County

The 105 children aged six to fifteen were collected in four locations: Naivasha, Sikadiet, Aweil Madina, and Maper Market. A local nonprofit organization, Community Empowerment & Peacebuilding Organization, is helping these 105 children.

Mr. Wol Wieu, CEO of Community Empowerment & Peacebuilding Organization (CEBO), stated that the 105 children housed at their center face enormous challenges. 

Table Showing Supported and Unsupported Street Children in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State

Number of Supported Children105
Number of Unsupported Children408
Total Number of Street Children513
Table Showing Supported and Unsupported Street Children in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State

Children are accommodated and enrolled in a community school called Ayat West Primary school.

Ayat primary school was already hosting  a total of 450 school learners that came from their homes.

During the assessment, Mr. Wol said that these children were registered by Save the children organization with no support rendered.

Challenges facing street children in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal

  • Lack of clean drinking water, bedding (children sleep on local mats)
  • Lack of shelters/accommodation (Children are accommodated in local grass thatched houses)
  • Lack of scholastic materials such as exercise and text books, uniforms among others.

Management & Operationalization Of Child Care Center:

16 teachers are being employed but 8 of them are volunteers. Also two social workers were also employed to take charge of children.

Reasons That Force Children To Street

Some of the common reasons that push children to the streets include: death of parents, displacement of people due to violence, abject poverty and lack of parental care or support

Recommendations:

The following suggestions can help combat the issue of street children: Ending violence and child abuse requires effective advocacy that is supported by training.

Agricultural empowerment in order to promote farming and independence

Child protection organizations must advocate for funding to support organizations that implement projects for children in order to provide education and better health care.

About the Authors:

Ngor Deng Matem, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, Data Analyst and Trainer. It’s part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a three months data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualization for three months (October to December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information

This image is not of a boy being sold in Sherikat, Juba211 Check

Fact-Check: This picture of a three year old boy for sale wrapped inside a rice bag is not from Sherikhat, Juba

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The picture is of an incident where a man was apprehended by the Nigeria Police Force in Akwa Ibom State after he was caught trying to sell his 3-year-old son

By 211 Check Desk

A Facebook post on Sunday, 12th December 2021 claiming that a man was caught in Sherikhat, Juba trying to sell his three year old boy wrapped inside a rice bag is FALSE

“Father was caught in Sherikhat while he was trying to sell his (3) years old son,” the post reads in part.

Misleading Post of a Boy for Sale in Sherikhat

Findings:

However, a reverse image search of the photo in the post returned several stories in September 2021 using the same picture, but of an incident that happened in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

“A yet to be identified man has been apprehended by the Nigeria Police Force in Akwa Ibom State after he was caught trying to sell his 3-year-old son,” reports The Paradise on September 8th, 2021

THE PARADISE gathered that the man put the child inside a rice bag and was transporting it to where he wanted to go and sell it before he was caught.

When contacted by 211 Check police in Juba say they are not aware of such an incident as alleged on Facebook.

Conclusion

211 Check finds a picture allegedly of a three year old boy for sale wrapped in a rice bag to be FALSE

#FactsMatter, Don’t be a victim of fake news; instead, let’s fight misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media. To avoid spreading false information, don’t share content you’re not sure about or don’t know where it came from.

To learn more about our fact-checking process, go to https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, and our team will immediately fact-check it and respond.

The-rate-of-COVID-19-Vaccines-Uptake-April-Dec-2021-

Data Story: Vaccine Uptake Spikes Among Women

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The increase in the number of women turning for vaccines has been attributed to a change of perception on the vaccine. At least two in five women encourage taking vaccines saying it is just as safe as immunization vaccines given to children.

By Charles Lotara

When South Sudan received its first and second batches of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine, more than half of the people who turned up for the jab were males, accounting for 61 percent of the total population inoculated at the inception of the vaccine rollout.

On the contrary, only 38.5 percent of women turned up for the jab. The gap was enormous thanks to misinformation about vaccines that they cause female infertility.

In September this year, the Ministry of Health made a courtesy call on women to defy misinformation and turn up for the jab.

“I want to make a call to women out there that Johnson and Johnson and AstraZeneca are safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 prevention,” said Dr. Victoria Anib Majur, the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health at the time.

“I want to encourage you not to listen to rumors out there that the vaccines cause infertility; the vaccines do not cause infertility,” she added.

Her call did not make an impact on women to take particularly the AstraZeneca vaccine. However, the supply of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine has seen a change of perception on COVID-19 vaccines.

Data obtained from the Ministry of Health reveals that 43.7 percent of those who are fully vaccinated between 8th October and 18th November are women. Men accounted for 56.3 percent during this phase of vaccine inoculation.

The updated action report from the Ministry of Health shows that as of 25th November, the percentage of men turning up for vaccines tumbled further with 54.5% getting the jab while the number of women inoculated increased by 1.8 percent.

On 6th December, the Ministry of Health reported that the vaccine uptake among women rose to 46.3 percent compared to 53.7 percent of their male counterparts.

The total number of people fully vaccinated to date is 139,364 with 33,006 receiving two AstraZeneca vaccine doses, and 106,358 with single-dose J&J vaccine.

In the first week of December, the government announced that vaccination facilities in Juba had run out of the J&J doses while inoculation centres at state levels were yet to finish their shares.

With the government receiving additional 168,000 doses of the J&J vaccine on 10th December, statistics indicate that the percentage of women getting vaccinated could surpass that of men.

Change of perception

The increase in the number of women turning for vaccines has been attributed to a change of perception on the vaccine. At least two in five women encourage taking vaccines saying it is just as safe as immunization vaccines given to children.

“I see nothing wrong with taking it. It’s funny that there are parents who take their children for immunization but they don’t want to get vaccinated themselves. These vaccines come from the same manufacturer,” Ayot Nyibol said from the vaccination center. She’s one of the women who turned up for the vaccine.

About the Authors:

Charles Lotara, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, Data Analyst and Trainer. It’s part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a three months data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualization for three months (October to December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information

Misleading Article Being Shared Online

Fact-Check: An article allegedly written by Louis Anei is FALSE

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211 Check Editorial Desk

An article titled “Kiir Mayar has openly shown us how much he hates his own voters in Greater Tonj by imposing his political tool Aleu Ayieny Aleu” allegedly written by Ustaz Louis Anei Madut is FALSE

The article that goes on to list about 10 points has since been dismissed by Ustaz Louis Anei Madut himself.

FALSE article being circulated in WhatsApp groups

In a Facebook post, Ustaz Louis Anei Madut said, “The purported article said to have been written by me is false! This is a concoction from my political enemies who want to put me deep into the grave but God is there alive.”

“I wish it was to be investigated as to who is the source, meanwhile I’m on my way to the village for social issues. I have nothing to do with those political concoctions.”

#FactsMatter, Don’t be a victim of fake news; instead, let’s fight misinformation on both mainstream and alternative media. To avoid spreading false information, don’t share content you’re not sure about or don’t know where it came from.

To learn more about our fact-checking process, go to https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/ or send us a WhatsApp message at +211 917 298 255 to present a claim, and our team will immediately fact-check it and respond.

Fistula Treatment in Aweil By Year211 Check

Data Story: Statistics of Obstetric Fistula Treatment in Aweil from 2019 to 2021

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By Ngor Deng Matem

This story looks into the trends of obstetric fistula treatment of the local population in Aweil, Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State from 2019 to 2021.

The treatment exercises were carried out by the Ministry of Health and its partners including United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

In 2019, 41 cases of fistula from Aweil were successfully treated, 57 cases were successfully treated in 2020, and 10 cases were successfully treated in 2021.

Only 10 of the 17 patients registered in 2021 received treatment, with the remaining seven not receiving treatment due to a lack of financial support to travel from villages. One hundred and eight patients have been treated in total since 2019.

Fistula Treatment in Aweil By Year

YearNumber of Patients Treated
201941
202057
202110
Table Showing Fistula Treatment in Aweil By Year

Total Cases Treated and Not Treated Since 2019

Total Cases Treated108
Total Cases Not Treated07
Total Cases Registered115
Table Showing Total Cases Treated and Not Treated Since 2019

What is obstetric fistula?

Obstetric Fistula is a severe birth injury that causes a hole between the birth canal, bladder, and rectum. The infection is caused by both prolonged labor without medical care and early pregnancy. The conditions typically affect patients, particularly women, because they promote uncontrolled urine and faeces.

Challenges:

The following are some of the setbacks in the fight against fistula in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal; patients claim that they are neglected by relatives, particularly husbands, due to the smell. Inadequate financial support to cater for or facilitate logistics during the rare treatment that takes place in Wau. Lack of doctors in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, as well as low patient turnout due to a lack of mobilization.

Way forward:

To ensure the success of the fight against fistula, the following recommendations are being made: The Ministry of Health should encourage pregnant women to visit the hospital on a regular basis for medical checks, and child marriage should be discouraged because the majority of cases involve women who marry at a young age.

The government of Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal should plan to establish treatment centers within the state to avoid the need to travel from Aweil to Wau, and the public has urged the Ministry of Health to increase awareness of the campaign to end child marriage.

About the Authors:

Ngor Deng Matem at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, Data Analyst and Trainer. It’s part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a two-month and half data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualization for two months and half (October to Mid December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information

Number of Infant Mortality in South Sudan 2001 - 2020211 Check

Data Story: South Sudan Losing Battle Against Infant Mortality

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As late as 2019, infant mortality rate in South Sudan remained among some of the highest in Africa.

By Charles Lotara

Ten years before South Sudan attained independence in 2011, the infant mortality rate was already alarming with 44,508 children dying annually before reaching age five. Boys accounted for 23,395 of this tally compared to 21,113 girls. That was as late as 2001.

This mortality ratio was attributed to inadequate midwifery services in the country. According to Global Health Workforce Alliance, a subsidiary of the World Health Organization, the ratio of midwives in the country was 1 per 38,088 populations. This was even so after the referendum.

The above factor was also compounded by the unavailability of a formal system for the supervision and support of nursing and midwifery practice in the country, especially at state level. 

Similarly, at national stage, there was no legal and regulatory framework guiding midwifery practice according to a 2011 report from the Ministry of Health titled Special Supplement: Development of Nursing and Midwifery Services in South Sudan, produced in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

But amid the above challenges, the country had made strides on mitigating infant mortality. Data from the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reveals that 35,711 and 35,288 children (boys and girls) below five died in 2011 and 2012 respectively, a sharp drop from ten years earlier.

These improvements were a result of the creation of an ambitious Health Sector Development Plan spanning from 2011 – 2016 with emphasis on Strategic Plan for Human Resources for Health (HRH).

However, the country is witnessing a stunning reversal on the achievements it has made just two years after independence thanks to a protracted civil war which weakened a nascent health system. In 2013, 35,319, an increase of 13 children under five from 2012, died.

In 2015, the World Health Organisation documented that the probability of a child dying by age five was 90.7 percent in every 1000 live births. 

As late as 2019, the death toll of children aged five years and below rose to 36,916. This means the country has lost 1,597 children below five years within a seven-year span with male accounting for 852 of the total and females accounting for 588. 

This alarming trend is projected to continue if no urgent action is taken according to the World Health Organization.

Mortality Rate By Year

YearNumber of Infant Mortality
200144,508
201135,711
201235,288
201335,319
201936,916

Efforts made

Three years after the referendum, the national Ministry of Health crafted the National Health Policy, another ambitious initiative that was to run from 2016-2026, to provide the overall vision and strategic direction for development in the health sector and also curbing maternal mortality rate. 

Dubbed the NHP, the initiative was to be implemented through two five-year strategic plans: 2016 -2021 and 2021-2026. The policy – the government said at the time – draws its mandate from the Transitional Constitution, Vision 2040, the South Sudan Development Plan (SSDP), and that it was cognizant of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. 

The overall goal of the NHP was to deliver a strengthened national health system and partnerships that overcome barriers to effective delivery of the Basic Package of Health and Nutrition Services and a system that efficiently responds to quality and safety concerns of communities while protecting the people from impoverishment and social risk.

No much change 

Six years later, the aforementioned initiatives have done very little to improve the health system and in particular, service delivery at the department of obstetrics and gynaecology, especially at the country’s main referral health facility, Juba Teaching Hospital. 

Most health infrastructures remain dilapidated; essential medical and surgical equipment are either outdated or lacking. The management and human resource capacity has weakened. 

The World Health Organisation says the Nongovernmental Organisations are still responsible for 80% of the country’s health service delivery, which complicates the coordination of service delivery.

In its Country Cooperation Agenda 2014 – 2019, the first priority of the World Health Organisation was to contribute to the reduction of maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality. By the year 2019, the infant mortality rate was the highest since 2011.

The World Health Organisation did very little to provide technical support for the development and implementation of policies, strategies and plans for integrated maternal, newborn, and child health. 

Support for the Ministry of Health to improve the accessibility and availability of integrated maternal, newborn, and child health services at all levels of the health system has stalled and the promise to ensure accessibility and availability of emergency obstetric and newborn care within the primary health care and referral system remained unfulfilled according to a report by the Global Health Observatory.

The future looks bleak. Development assistance has remained a major source of revenue for South Sudan, especially following the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic that sparked a sharp fall in oil prices and shrinking national revenue. 

As countries around the world fret over the spread of the omicron variant, possibilities of another lockdown are imminent. This could further affect oil production and national revenue which would otherwise be used to revamp the health sector and curb the runaway infant mortality rate.

To break beyond this uncertainty, the government must utilise funding from the non-oil revenue and development assistance from the donor community and adjust the national budget for the health sector. This could significantly reduce the worrying trend of infant mortality.

Background information

Since the inception of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, the Ministry of Health, through the Department of Reproductive Health, has been putting in place systems and mechanisms for coordinating the integration, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of Sexual and Reproductive Health services in South Sudan.

Based on data from 2006, five years before the referendum, the country had arguably the highest maternal mortality ratio in the world with 2,057 children per 100,000 live births dying before the age of five. 

In 2011 and 2012, health partners, including the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Population Fund, scaled up support to the country’s health sector. This saw a significant reduction in the ratio of infant deaths. 

Two years after independence, the government maintained efforts to eradicate infant deaths. It is against this background that in 2013, the Family Planning Policy was launched.

One of the aims of this policy was to provide comprehensive and integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services in line with the recommendations of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Egyptian capital Cairo according to the then Minister of Health Dr. Michael Milly Hussein.  

The Ministry of Health noted that one in five women of reproductive age (15-49 years) has unmet needs for spacing or limiting childbirth. This, according to the government, has also contributed tremendously to the rise in infant mortality ratio.

In December 2013, civil war broke out. This further affected the already-faltering health system and jeopardised the efforts to eradicate infant mortality rate even after the conflict.

The Family Planning Policy also provided that obstetricians give expectant mothers the necessary guidelines required to ensure safe delivery. However, this has not been implemented. Instead, obstetricians who go for months without salaries have been blamed for negligence.

As late as 2019, infant mortality rate in South Sudan remained among some of the highest in Africa. But the government is confident that the Family Planning Policy crafted eight years ago will promote an integrated approach in studies to provide insights in the development of culturally accepted and appropriate materials to be used for safe motherhood and family planning services.

About the Authors:

Charles Lotara, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, Data Analyst and Trainer. It’s part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a two-month and half data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualisation for two months and half (October to Mid December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information

16 Most Influential South Sudan Celebrities on Facebook

Data Story: 16 Most Influential South Sudanese Celebrities on Facebook

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By David Uku

Because being on social media platforms means you have many competitors, you are expected to create good content for your audience to follow you. In South Sudan, the most influential people and talented artists use Social Media platforms to express their artistic talents and share their opinion with their fans.

However, the challenges of internet access in South Sudan affect content creators’ ability to satisfy their audience in the country. They attract a large audience to their pages and engage in the creation of various content through social media platforms such as Facebook.

From November 2020 to October 2021, 211 Check used the CrowdTangle platform to analyze the 16 Facebook Pages of the most influential South Sudanese Celebrities and their interactions with their fans. The analysis revealed total followers for 11 months, as well as follower growth per page.

The number of followers on a page indicates the audience’s interest in specific pages or people; it also depends on how the post is written (Photo, Video or Live and content created).

The trends of various posts on various platforms in South Sudan are primarily about discussions on influential topics such as promoting national football teams, basketball teams, or music and political news across the country.

About the Authors:

David Uku, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, wrote this data story, which was edited by 211 Check Editor Emmanuel Bida Thomas and approved for publication by Steve Topua, Data Analyst and Trainer. It’s part of the ongoing #defyhatenow South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship program with funding from the European Union Delegation to South Sudan.

About South Sudan Data Speaks Fellowship: 

This is a two-month and half data journalism fellowship for South Sudanese content creators with an aim of educating participants on the fundamentals of data journalism through in-depth training facilitated by experienced data analysts.

The fellows have been selected from across South Sudan and they are trained in data sourcing/mining, data analysis, and data visualization for two months and half (October to Mid December) 

Each fellow will produce a minimum of three (03) data stories during the fellowship. The focus will be on increasing access to information