Floods, conflict cut Fangak communities off from healthcare
Communities in Fangak County, Jonglei State, continue to face flooding, displacement and insecurity, with many residents forced to live on isolated islands and higher ground, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has said.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday, the medical charity said recurrent flooding since 2019 has destroyed homes, farmland and livestock, while conflict has further displaced communities and disrupted access to healthcare.
Residents in some parts of Fangak rely on canoes as their main means of transportation, making access to health facilities difficult, particularly during emergencies.
Nyayiek Gai, a resident of Dhornor Boma, said the lack of transportation often delays access to medical care.
“Our only means of transport is a canoe and getting a canoe is very difficult. We sometimes have to wait for days to get a canoe when someone is sick to take them to the health center.”
MSF also said its hospital in Old Fangak was destroyed during an aerial attack in May 2025, killing seven people and injuring 27 others, including patients and MSF staff.
Dieu Top, MSF’s Outreach Nursing Team Supervisor in Fangak, said insecurity has pushed many residents into remote areas where access to health services is limited.
“The most important thing for people here is to find where they can feel safe. They find it safer living in areas that are very difficult to access. In doing so, they move away from healthcare services and miss essential services they should receive.”
In response to the challenges, MSF launched a Community Paramedicine Initiative in Fangak County in February 2026 to bring essential healthcare services closer to isolated communities.
The programme currently serves more than 25,000 people across Dhornor, Kuerbuay, Kuerdeng and Payiat, providing outpatient consultations, maternal healthcare, treatment and referrals.
MSF said the initiative is intended to reduce the need for residents to travel long distances by canoe to access basic healthcare.
The organization said flooding, conflict and displacement have repeatedly pushed communities further away from health services, making community-based healthcare increasingly important in Fangak County.
