By James Innocent
Humanitarian officials have met with the Commissioner of Yei River County, Samuel Henry Malimbo, as part of a one-day mission to assess the humanitarian, security, and Ebola preparedness situation in the county.
The delegation, led by Rahamathan BalaKrishnan, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim, was briefed by Commissioner Malimbo on the security situation in Yei before travelling to Libogo Boma in Lasu Payam to inspect an Ebola preparedness centre.
BalaKrishnan commended the county administration for providing the delegation with an update on the security situation and welcomed the cooperation among humanitarian partners and local authorities.
He said it was encouraging to see partners working together to strengthen preparedness against Ebola, which has not been reported in South Sudan.
Oleksandr Osinsky said the delegation was conducting a one-day field mission to assess the Ebola preparedness centre in Libogo Boma, Lasu Payam, as part of ongoing preparedness efforts.
Majok Mayuen of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) thanked Commissioner Malimbo for receiving the delegation and said OCHA would arrange a follow-up meeting with the county administration.
Commissioner Malimbo welcomed the humanitarian officials and assured them of the county administration’s commitment to supporting their safety during field missions across Yei River County.
Addressing recent reports of abductions, Malimbo described those responsible as criminal elements and called for stronger cooperation between government authorities and humanitarian organisations to address security threats.
He said the county administration was engaging different stakeholders to prevent further incidents and improve the security environment for civilians and humanitarian workers.
Malimbo also called for closer coordination between humanitarian organisations and government authorities when security threats emerge, saying some criminal elements operate from concealed locations.
The commissioner said he was confident that the delegation’s field mission could proceed safely and expressed hope that the visit would strengthen humanitarian preparedness and coordination across the county.
He further commended the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) for its continued support to communities in Yei River County through livelihood programs, preparedness activities, and economic empowerment initiatives.
The visiting team included representatives from UNMISS, IOM, and other humanitarian organisations.
The delegation also visited the isolation facilities at Yei Civil Hospital, accompanied by the hospital’s medical director and the county health director, to assess the available preparedness infrastructure.
The visit comes as government and humanitarian actors continue efforts to strengthen coordination, improve emergency preparedness, and address security concerns affecting communities and humanitarian operations in Yei River County.