In December 2013, the fragile, newly independent state of South Sudan once again began to experience violent conflict and dislocation. A civil war broke out between the South Sudan government and a rebel opposition led by a former vice president.
Despite South Sudan’s escalating conflict, USAID-funded SIAPS/South Sudan is working to provided systems-strengthening support to the health sector. One problem that SIAPS has addressed is the overstock of medicines and supplies in the warehouses.
Many health facilities and county-level stores in South Sudan are practically overflowing with medicines. For a young country plagued by political instability and insufficient health care infrastructure, an abundance of medical supplies may seem to be an advantage. Instead, the situation holds the potential for a public health catastrophe: many of these medicines are expired or have been improperly stored, making them unusable and potentially dangerous for consumers.
