Dr. Bortel Ohisam, Director-General of Medical Stores receives some donations on behalf of the Minister of Health. Photo: UNFPA South Sudan.

The United Nations Population Fund has handed over to the Ministry of Health reproductive health kits worth 400,000 dollars to ensure the continuity of sexual and reproductive health services.

The new donation is UNFPA’s second delivery of supplies for sexual and reproductive health in less than two weeks, with a combined total worth of close to 1 million dollars.

Last week, UNFPA handed over more than 18,000 dignity kits to the Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare to be distributed to the most vulnerable women and girls affected by the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan.

The reproductive health kits donated on Thursday include supplies for the management of gender-based violence, as well as family planning commodities.

More medical equipment, medicines, and other supplies are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks to ensure safe pregnancies and childbirths even with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At this time, while the world’s attention is on COVID-19, we should not forget that the reproductive health needs of women and girls remain, or even become more acute,” said Dr. Mary Otieno, UNFPA Country Representative while emphasizing the importance of drugs and other essential supplies in the effective functioning of the health system.

Dr. Otieno reiterated that survivors of gender-based violence, and in particular sexual violence, would still need life-saving services and medication, with or without COVID-19.

The 400,000 dollars worth of supplies will go to 185 health facilities across the country to benefit thousands of people affected by the crisis.

The provision of reproductive health kits and dignity kits is supported by the UN Central Emergency Respond Fund and the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund.