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 106,358with single-doseJ&Jvaccine.
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
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/The-rate-of-COVID-19-Vaccines-Uptake-April-Dec-2021-.png6351366211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-12-13 09:06:312021-12-13 09:06:38Data Story: Vaccine Uptake Spikes Among Women
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.
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/GridArt_20211210_144017463-1.jpg10801080211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-12-10 11:58:062021-12-10 11:58:12Fact-Check: An article allegedly written by Louis Anei is FALSE
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
Year
Number of Infant Mortality
2001
44,508
2011
35,711
2012
35,288
2013
35,319
2019
36,916
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
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Number-of-Infant-Mortality-in-South-Sudan-2001-2020.png575796211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-12-08 11:15:452021-12-08 11:15:52Data Story: South Sudan Losing Battle Against Infant Mortality
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
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/16-Most-Influential-South-Sudan-Celebrities-on-Facebook.png575796211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-12-08 09:55:032021-12-08 09:55:10Data Story: 16 Most Influential South Sudanese Celebrities on Facebook
Data collected by 211 Check, according to multiple media reports from November of this year, show that at least 267 individuals were killed in several incidents around South Sudan.
In comparison to October, when 79 persons were slain, November’s figures show an increase of 237.97 percent.
The majority of deaths last month happened in Jonglei State, where about 89 individuals were killed by an unknown illness and over 70 others died largely in intercommunal confrontations.
The following state, Warrap, comes in second with 32 deaths, the most of which were caused by intercommunal violence and road ambushes.
Following that is Western Equatoria State, where 24 people are said to have died last month and Eastern Equatoria State with 18 deaths.
Upper Nile State, Central Equatoria and Unity States each had 14, 12 and 5 deaths respectively.
In Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State there were two reported deaths and 1 killing in Lakes State.
In any of the three administrative areas of Abyei, Ruweng, or Greater Pibor, there were no documented cases of violence-related deaths as well as in Western Bahr-el-Ghazal.
About the Authors:
Data Speaks Fellows 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
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Reported-Killings-Across-South-Sudan-November-2021-1.png493796211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-12-08 08:52:592021-12-08 08:53:05Data Story: Reported Killings in South Sudan, 267 slain last month
These pictures showing livestock allegedly killed by floods in Bentiu, Unity State are misleading
By 211 Check Editorial Team
Pictures shared by Bentiu tv, a Facebook page with the caption, “This is how flood kills livestock in Bentiu” are FALSE
Reverse image search of the pictures leads to a story published by the Star Kenya two days ago in which raging water as a result of heavy rains at the slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro in neighbouring Tanzania killed livestock in Kenya’s Taita Taveta county.
Conclusion:
The images do not show livestock killed by floods in Bentiu, Unity State. They instead show livestock killed in Taita Taveta county, Kenya.
#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.
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Bentiu-tv-Misleading-Image.jpg526526211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-12-03 10:30:102021-12-03 10:30:17Fact-Check: Do these pictures show livestock killed by floods in Bentiu? No
This story focuses on the most recent increase in commodity prices in Juba. The data is based on a physical market survey at Konyo Konyo Market.
By Charles Lotara
The market prices of commodities in South Sudan have been unstable since the outbreak of civil war in 2013 when the South Sudanese Pounds started losing value against the United States Dollars.
In August this year, the prices of basic commodities almost doubled after truck drivers declared strike over rampant insecurity along the Nimule – Juba Highway, the only major route that connects South Sudan to the rest of East African countries.
This phenomenon compelled the government to enforce security measures to curb the runaway level of criminality and banditry along the highway.
In mid-August, truckers trickled in after security assurance from the government. This has resulted in market stabilization. The government through the Ministry of Finance injected more forex into the market, this resulted in an improved exchange rate. But prices never went down thanks to lack of confidence from traders in sloppy regulatory policies.
And, the skyrocketing prices are worsening as the festive season approaches. A first hand assessment reveals that some have doubled their initial price tags within the space of two weeks. A continuity in trend of increase could make basic commodities unaffordable to low-income households.
On Wednesday, 01 December 2021, the Reconstituted Transitional National Legislative Assembly summoned eight institutions to explain circumstances surrounding market price hikes. These were the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and Ministry of Roads and Bridges.
Other institutions summoned by the parliament were the National Revenue Authority, the Central Bank, Chamber of Commerce, and the National Bureau of Standards.
Paul Yoane Bonju, the Chairperson Designate of the Reconstituted Transitional National Assembly blames the government for failure to implement regulations that protect local consumers.
“The prices of commodities in our markets are very, very high these days. Our markets have been dominated by foreigners, and South Sudanese are not in control of their markets,” the Chairperson Designate was quoted by The City Review to have said.
“We are supposed to be a mixed economy rather than a free economy. In a free economy, anybody can come and do anything that he wants, but in a mixed economy, we can control the prices,” added Mr Yoane.
But it is unclear whether the summon of these institutions will drive a positive impact on the market ahead of festivities.
Between late November and the first week of December, a kilogram of lentils was costing SSP 800 up from 600 a few weeks earlier. Our market survey within Juba also reveals that the price of onions has doubled from SSP500 to SSP1000.
By the time of publishing, a liter of cooking was sold at SSP 1000, an increase from SSP 700 two weeks prior. The cost of public transportation also doubled, especially for those staying on the outskirts of Juba. The trend paints a bleak future for the common man.
Leading cause of market price hikes
South Sudan is a landlocked country. The country is one of the biggest importers of commodities. According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), an organization that monitors trends in staple food prices in countries vulnerable to food insecurity, cereal supplies in Juba, Torit, Bor, and Rumbek are mostly sourced from Uganda.
Agriculture production remained poor, especially in states and administrative areas ridden by communal conflict and flooding.
About the Authors:
Charles Lotara, a Data Speaks Fellow at #defyhatenow South Sudan, updated this data story (already in the 211 Check archive), 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
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Market-Commodity-Price-Increase.png575796211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-12-03 10:14:062021-12-03 10:14:13Data Story: Commodity Price Hikes in Juba Ahead of Festivities
Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State had registered 775 COVID-19 cases and 01 death as of October 2021 according to its Health Ministry
By Ngor Deng
Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal is one of the states where the novel coronavirus has been identified. Following the confirmation of a few cases, a COVID-19 isolation center was established at the Light House in Aweil.
According to an announcement by the management of the COVID-19 taskforce in the State, the isolation center was closed in May due to a lack of funding from the government and implementing health organizations.
Because of a lack of financial support, the trained health workers who were providing services abandoned the center, causing the Covid-19 patients and suspects to live in disarray.
What Is The Number Of People Affected?
Between January and October 2021, 775 positive cases were recorded according to the State Coordination office on Covid-19 pandemic hence the number of positive confirmed cases in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state as of October 2021 was 775.
Only 71 patients within the registered or recorded were admitted in the isolation center until they became fully recovered or rescued before it was closed down in May.
A pregnant woman died of COVID-19 in October 2021 while under the care of Medicines Sans Frontières (MSF) at Aweil civil hospital, while four positive COVID-19 cases were officially confirmed at the same time.
Table Showing COVID-19 Cases Statistics in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State as of October 2021
Total Cases Recorded
775
Cases Admitted at Isolation Center
71
Cases Not Admitted at Isolation Center
703
Death Cases
1
Vaccination Against Covid-19 Spreads In NBGS-Aweil Government And Health Partners Response
The Covid-19 vaccines arrived in Aweil on June 12, 2021, and vaccinations began immediately. In the first round, 2, 856 people were vaccinated, and the vaccines were finished by August 2021.
The second vaccination was effective from August to October, and 4,581 people were immunized. According to state coordinator for the Expanded Immunization Program Santino Ngong Chan, males accounted for 3,635, while females accounted for 946.
Table Showing COVID-19 Vaccine Statistics in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State as of October 2021
Total Number of People Vaccinated
4,581
Male
3,635
Female
946
Recommendation
Despite numerous requests, medical officials at the COVID 19 taskforce office reiterated calls on the National Ministry of Health and partners to support the isolation center.
About the Authors:
Ngor 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 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
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/COVID-19-Vaccine-Statistics-in-Northern-Bahr-el-Ghazal-State-as-of-October-2021.png401796211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-11-30 13:12:432022-10-14 12:39:54Data Story: COVID-19 in Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State; Cases and Vaccine Statistics
Floods displace thousands in six states across South Sudan amid limited supplies, a funding shortfall, and announcement by weathermen that water levels would continue to rise in the coming months.
By David Uku
Data collected by 211 Check according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) indicates how floods affected thousands of people in South Sudan, the response, and support from NGOs during the rainy season.
South Sudan, the world’s newest country and in East Africa, gained independence from Sudan in 2011. It has been through civil war and conflict, as well as devastating floods that have affected six of the current ten states.
On October 8, 2021, the South Sudanese government approved ten million US dollars as an emergency fund for flood-affected populations throughout the country, and Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister of Information, stated in Juba that the relief package approved by the cabinet will be used to help resettle those who have been displaced from their homes, in addition to providing food relief.
“The people who are displaced are very much affected by floods, and after the floods have subsided they need to be resettled in their areas of origin because they don’t have anything at present and all that they need is to be rescued now,” he told the pressed after the weekly cabinet meeting
As of October 2021, the states most affected by flooding are Jonglei, Unity, and Northern Bahr El Ghazal, Upper Nile, Warrap, and Western Equatoria.
Statistics of Floods Affected Population Around the Country:
S/No.
State
Number of Households
Funding
Gov/NGOs
01
Jonglei State
160,000
$ 10,000,000
South Sudan Government
02
Unity State
146,000
1.7 billion
OCHA
03
Northern Bahr El Ghazal
47,000
20 million
South Sudan Humanitarian Fund
04
Upper Nile State
44,000
05
Warrap State
25,000
06
Western Equatoria states.
600
UN Agency Estimated Total
01
Report from UNOCHA affected by six States
466,000
02
Report from UNRefugee affected by six states
380,000
Response from the and NGOs
OCHA last month warned of limited supplies and a funding shortfall, saying that it had only received 54 per cent of the $1.7 billion (1.4 billion euros) required to pay for programmers in the country.
IGAD weathermen recently announced that water levels would continue to rise in the coming months.
The Humanitarian Coordinator says it will allocate US$20 million from the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund, and part of the allocation will support flood response efforts.
The Flooding Season
Every year, heavy rainfall from April to October causes the Nile, Pibor, Sobat, Lol, and other rivers to overflow. Inland flooding was caused by the rains, and parts of the country (Jonglei State, Unity State, Northern Bahr Elghazal, Upper Nile State, Warrap State, and Western Equatoria State) were affected.
Conclusion
The government and humanitarian agencies must devise a good system for evacuating people from areas that are affected by floods during the rainy season in the country, because climate predicts that heavy rainfall will occur in the country every year from April to October.
It is too early to tell, but the coming years will be crucial in determining the seriousness of the government and humanitarian organizations in developing a good system for evacuating people from a bad place to a better place.
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
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Number-of-Households-Affected-By-Floods-As-of-October-2021.png575796211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-11-29 11:58:332021-11-29 11:58:39Data Story: Floods, Response and Support in South Sudan – 2021
The image shows a creature that is reported to have been killed in South East Mauritania in July 2020
By 211 Check Editorial Team
A tweet on 25th November 2021 claiming that a rare creature was killed in Rubkona Unity State is FALSE
“I’m very disappointed in the people of Rubkona, Unity State. There was no point killing such a rare creature,” the tweet reads in part.
The tweet also claims that the species of Aardvark was only in South Sudan and that might be the last one. “Sadly dead,” the tweet added.
However, 211 Check investigations have established that the tweet claiming the rare creature was killed in South Sudan is unfounded.
Reverse image results for the image shows several cases in which the same image has been used. The earliest being on 18th July 2020 in the Batha of Al-Nama city in the state of Al-Hawd Al-Sharqi, southeast of Mauritania
According to the activists who circulated the photo at that time, the animal was killed by some citizens in Mauritania.
It should also be noted that according to National Geographic, Aardvarks occur in almost all Africa’s parks and reserves, and not only in South Sudan as claimed in the tweet.
Conclusion:
211 Check has looked into an image purportedly of a rare creature killed in Rubkona, Unity State 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.
https://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/false-tweet.png6281200211 Checkhttps://211check.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/211Check_logo-1-300x120.png211 Check2021-11-26 15:56:002021-11-26 15:56:08Fact-Check: This picture does not show a rare creature killed in Rubkona, Unity State
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