IDPs continue to occupy schools in Fashoda County in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state, affecting this year’s schooling, local authorities said.

County Commissioner Morris Adiang Papiti told Radio Tamazuj Monday that there are between 30,000 and 50,000 IDPs in the county.

Last month, local authorities in Fashoda County announced their intent to relocate displaced people from schools.

Though some families recently returned to Malakal and Lol, Adiang said that most IDPs have not left the schools, even after building materials were distributed in hopes of convincing the displaced to build shelters elsewhere.

Cholera outbreak 'controlled'

Adiang said that despite the IDPs Fashoda County is relatively stable.

He said the World Food Program (WFP) dropped aid assistance to needy families recently and that health organizations were working with the government to contain a cholera outbreak.

“Yes there was a cholera outbreak in Lol and Boul areas in the past weeks, where about 20 people were infected with three death cases, but it was controlled,” Adiang said.

Adiang said that medical charities Doctors Without Borders/Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in collaboration with the health ministry established cholera treatment centers at Kodok, Dithuok, Lol and Boul to stem the outbreak and to raise awareness among the citizens.

He said 40 people were trained to educate local residents and IDPs about cholera prevention.

Adiang confirmed that defected troops are currently stationed in neighbouring Manyo County, but said that they did not pose an immediate security threat.

File Photo: Refugees in Kodok

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