Article

One Campaign, Two Wins: How South Sudan is Redefining Integrated Health Delivery

Integration Polio STH

In October 2025, South Sudan turned a challenge into an opportunity for systemic change. Faced with over 1.3 million praziquantel tablets at risk of expiry and a three-year gap in schistosomiasis treatment, the Ministry of Health, with partners, piloted an integrated health campaign that combined polio vaccination and preventive chemotherapy for schistosomiasis in three high-burden counties—Awerial, Bor South, and Renk.

What This Meant for People

For families who had waited years for treatment, this campaign was life-changing. 129,205 people received praziquantel, including 170,758 school-aged children and 232,936 adults at risk, restoring access to care and protecting communities from debilitating disease. By leveraging polio campaign resources, the initiative reduced costs, improved efficiency, and proved that Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) can be integrated into broader health interventions.

What Worked

Strong planning and coordination through the Supplementary Immunization Activities Core Technical Working Group—bringing together the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, and Core Group—ensured smooth execution. Integrated data tools, timely distribution of vaccines and medicines, and supportive supervision by national teams were critical success factors. Importantly, zero serious adverse events occurred, reinforcing safety and trust.

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Challenges and Lessons

Coverage was affected by limited community engagement, inadequate social mobilization, misinformation (such as the belief that people with malaria were ineligible), poor training at lower levels, and weak data reporting. These lessons were reviewed during the national post-campaign meeting, informing improvements for the upcoming Round-2 campaign scheduled later in the year.

Impact Beyond Numbers

This campaign safeguarded life-saving medicines, restored treatment access for vulnerable populations, and demonstrated that integration can work—even in fragile contexts. Communities reported renewed trust in health services, and partners observed stronger accountability and smarter resource use. South Sudan is now scaling this integrated model nationwide, accelerating progress toward universal health coverage and inspiring similar approaches across Africa.

 

What began as an urgent response is now a blueprint for transformation—where collaboration replaces fragmentation, and health systems deliver for everyone.

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