In the photo: Nyadoni, 28, was displaced from her home when a CMMB-supported partner reached her with essential care during a health crisis in Nasir County, South Sudan.  

When communities are in crisis, health suffers. Since we began our work in South Sudan in 2009, CMMB has walked alongside families facing political upheaval, severe flooding, sporadic violence, and outbreaks of contagious diseases like yellow fever, cholera, Mpox, and now the threat of Ebola. In emergency situations, it often becomes impossible for families to access much-needed healthcare and other basic needs. During times like these, CMMB South Sudan draws on years of experience responding to health emergencies to bring care directly to our neighbors in need.

Not long ago, our team supported a mobile emergency response in Nasir County, Upper Nile State.

An Emergency in Nasir County

The people of Nasir County have withstood much hardship. As the climate changes, annual rainfall overwhelms the region, causing floods that devastate crops and communities and render large areas inaccessible. Years of armed conflict and violence against civilians add to the upheaval, forcing many to flee their homes. As instability grows, contagious diseases spread easily through informal and overpopulated settlements of displaced people. Nutritious food becomes harder to find, leading to high rates of malnutrition.

CMMB saw Nasir County’s suffering and organized a mobile clinic response. In partnership with the local African Community Health Organization (ACHO) and community leaders, we dispatched five clinical staff and 10 health promoters to Nasir County from October 2025 to January 2026 to reduce the spread of contagious diseases, support children facing severe malnutrition, provide prenatal and safe delivery care, and spread important information about handwashing and hygiene.

An Overwhelming Need for Lifesaving Care

CMMB hoped to reach 5,000 community members with the mobile unit. Yet when the team arrived in Nasir County, the need was even greater than we anticipated. By the end of our three-month response, we had delivered much-needed health services to more than 8,358 people. In addition to providing direct care, CMMB-supported health promoters traveled door-to-door and organized group discussions to spread key messages about hygiene and sanitation, maternal and child health, nutrition, and infection and disease prevention.

Children are particularly vulnerable when families are in crisis. We treated common diseases like malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia. And we helped prevent future outbreaks by vaccinating children and infants against communicable diseases like measles and diphtheria—which can be deadly without treatment. With food insecurity widespread in South Sudan, malnutrition is a serious public health challenge, especially among children. We screened 730 children for malnutrition, referring 137 for additional treatment. We also provided families with education on nutrition, child health, and other topics.

The maternal mortality rate in South Sudan is tragically high, in part because many women move through pregnancy without prenatal care and endure childbirth without skilled assistance. Our team identified pregnant women in Nasir County and provided them with prenatal care and nutrition support to help improve the health outcomes for both mother and child. During our mobile response, skilled health workers supported 16 women through labor and delivery and provided follow-up care for the mother and her baby. For Nyadoni, a young mother who has carried so much loss alone, CMMB’s support meant healing support during a vulnerable time.

Nyadoni’s Story

Nyadoni’s life has been filled with challenges. She has four living children but has suffered multiple miscarriages. The World Health Organization recommends eight prenatal appointments for pregnant women. But displaced from her home, Nyadoni struggled to access prenatal care—or any type of healthcare at all. “I believe this is because of lack of awareness and long distances to health facilities,” she shared.

Pregnant with a new baby and sick with malaria, Nyadoni, 28, figured she was on her own, as always.

Then, one day, a CMMB-supported team arrived in her community.

A midwife gave Nyadoni the skilled prenatal care she deserved. She also connected her to treatment for malaria, a disease that can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women. A CMMB-supported mobile clinic vaccinated Nyadoni’s children against TB, measles, and tetanus, protection that will stay with them. For Nyadoni and her family, the care that came to their community meant everything.

“I would like to appeal to ACHO and its partner [CMMB] to keep supporting the vulnerable areas like my village,” she said.

The Power of a Mobile Response That Meets Families Where They Are

When flooding and outbreaks of violence upend life in South Sudan, families must focus all their energy on survival. The mobile health clinic met families where they were, bringing critical health care, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene services to hard-to-reach areas. We are grateful that we were able to bring relief to communities in Nasir County.

But a new threat looms, on the other side of South Sudan. An Ebola outbreak is active in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. With expertise grounded in years of experience, CMMB South Sudan is preparing for the virus’s potential spread by delivering supplies and personal protective equipment to 21 at-risk facilities where CMMB is active. With continued support, we have faith that we can join South Sudan’s people in facing new challenges with courage and strength.

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