title: Malaria control in South Sudan, 2006-2013: strategies, progress and challenges.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  South Sudan has borne the brunt of years of chronic warfare and probably has the highest malaria burden in sub-Saharan Africa. However, effective malaria control in post-conflict settings is hampered by a multiplicity of challenges. This manuscript reports on the strategies, progress and challenges of malaria control in South Sudan and serves as an example epitome for programmes operating in similar environments and provides a window for leveraging resources.
  
  
  METHODS
  To evaluate progress and challenges of the national malaria control programme an in-depth appraisal was undertaken according to the World Health Organization standard procedures for malaria programme performance review. Methodical analysis of published and unpublished documents on malaria control in South Sudan was conducted. To ensure completeness, findings of internal thematic desk assessments were triangulated in the field and updated by external review teams.
  
  
  RESULTS
  South Sudan has strived to make progress in implementing the WHO recommended malaria control interventions as set out in the 2006-2013 National Malaria Strategic Plan. The country has faced enormous programmatic constraints including infrastructure, human and financial resource and a weak health system compounded by an increasing number of refugees, returnees and internally displaced people. The findings present a platform on which to tailor an evidence-based 2014-2018 national malaria strategic plan for the country and a unique opportunity for providing a model for countries in a post-conflict situation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prospects for effective malaria control and elimination are huge in South Sudan. Nevertheless, strengthened coordination, infrastructure and human resource capacity, monitoring and evaluation are required. To achieve all this, allocation of adequate local funding would be critical.
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pasquale
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jarvese
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Julla
authors.forename: Constantino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doggale
authors.forename: Bakhit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sebit
authors.forename: Mark Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lual
authors.forename: Samson P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, National Malaria Control Programme, Juba, Republic of South Sudan. emmanuel_chanda@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chanda
mesh_terms: D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology