The campaign is being conducted by the peacekeeping mission’s field office in Kuajok,

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has embarked on a 14-day-long door-to-door awareness campaign on COVID-19 to reach individual households in Warrap State with messages on how to keep themselves and others safe.

When visiting houses, they are distributing posters, postcards, face masks and banners on preventive measures against the pandemic virus.

“We are happy that UNMISS is making this awareness-raising effort to the grassroots level,” says Isaac Deng, a citizen of Marjok Noon in Twic County, while suggesting that visits to the cattle camps in the area would also be a good idea.

Mr. Deng believes that going from door to door will make the entire local population aware of the seriousness of the virus and thus take the necessary precautionary measures, like frequent hand washing and maintaining a sufficient physical distance between themselves.

We want to let the people of Warrap State know that we are in this together

The campaign is being conducted by the peacekeeping mission’s field office in Kuajok, with support of community mobilizers from the Integrated Community Mobilization Network, a community-based organization operating in the region.

“We have seen our own people falling sick, and some have even died. This must tell us that every single one of us must take the necessary measures to protect ourselves,” says Salva Yai Malek, a local government representative in Panliet in Gogrial East.

Since the outbreak of the virus in the country, the Greater Warrap area has recorded only one confirmed infection and six suspected cases. However, the UN peacekeeping mission continues to support the COVID-19 taskforce in the state to be ready should a larger outbreak of the disease take place.

“We want to let the people of Warrap State know that we are in this together. We are all family now despite coming from different countries,” says Anastasie Nyirigira Mukangarambe, head of the Kuajok field office.

Peacekeepers based in Warrap have already installed several hand washing stations and an isolation centre in Kuajok. They have also handed over various personal protective equipment to the COVID-19 taskforce in the state.

The ongoing awareness-raising campaign will reach at least 500 households in the counties of Twic, Tonj and Gogrial.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).