Small girl carrying small jerry can with water in Jonglei on 20 February 2015 | Credit Getty Images

The government should provide free clean drinking water for all as one of the measures to help combat the Covid-19 pandemic, some members of the public have said.

This, according to them, will prove whether the government is really committed and concerned about their wellbeing.

The World Health Organization advises that people should regularly and thoroughly clean their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water, because it kills viruses that may be on the hands.

But in South Sudan, clean drinking water alone is scarce.

The government does not provide piped water for citizens since the independence of South Sudan in 2011.

“In a situation like this, of coronavirus, the government should provide free water. It should have its water-tankers to distribute free water,” said a Juba resident.

Some IDPs have often complained about the shortages of water in the camps.

They said this is making it difficult to practice hand-washing against the coronavirus pandemic.

In Juba, most residents rely on water from commercial water-tankers which is mostly delivered by foreigners.

Some members of the public say it is about time the government delivered services to its citizens, starting with provision of clean drinking water.

“How many V-8s do we have here? The government should sell these idle vehicles and provide water instead. Water is needed all over the country,” said another resident.

South Sudan’s leaders, according to recent reports, stole public money, which they have used to gratify themselves – with majority living luxurious lifestyles both in Juba and regional cities.

They include President Salva Kiir and former and incumbent ministers and businesspeople allied to the ruling SPLM.

In South Sudan, only 55% of the people have access to safe drinking water, according to a report by Oxfam.

And, it says, due to increased costs of production, water providers in Juba are producing less and charging more, squeezing people’s access to safe water even further.

“Buying water now is expensive and people do not have money to buy water. We are suffering and health officials are telling us to wash our hands all the time,” said Deng Deng (real name withheld.