With more than 7 in 10 of its people in need of humanitarian assistance, South Sudan is a country beset by crisis. A particular area of concern for the country is its health care system. South Sudan has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world, malaria remains the leading cause of mortality in the country and 2 million people in South Sudan are currently in need of emergency nutrition assistance.

Adding to these challenges is the near-constant threat of violence across South Sudan, with health care workers often being targeted with violence. These threats compound an already-challenging situation and further complicate efforts to deliver more effective and impactful health care support to the people of South Sudan.

In this report, the IRC aims to identify the characteristics of incidents of violence against the health care system in South Sudan. The report also endeavors to better understand how health care workers experience violence in that country and how they believe approaches meant to both prevent and respond to this violence can become more effective.

Available documents & links