The Health and Nutrition Department, is one of the five thematic areas supporting the achievement of the CARE South Sudan mission geared towards contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals/Objectives (SDGs). In partnership with the implementing NGOs and donors, CARE South Sudan managed to implement integrated preventive health and nutrition services by increasing access to quality health and nutrition services to over 504,598 people in former Upper Nile, Unity, Northern Bahr el Gazhal, Central Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria States of South Sudan.

The goal of Health and Nutrition Program in 2020 was to support universal access to quality health among vulnerable communities in South Sudan through implementation of integrated community-lead and community-focused approaches. It implemented a total of four projects 1) Health Legacy (HL), 2) Integrated Community Action for Nutrition (ICAN), 3) Community-based Surveillance Project on Polio (CBSP), and 4) Integrated Community-based Disease Surveillance or Core Group CBS Project on Ebola, Polio, Measles and Covid-19 (ICBSP).

Community Based Surveillance Project (CBSP) was implemented in six counties (Leer, Panyijar, Koch, Mayendit, Fashoda and Panyikang) of Unity and Upper Nile whereas Health Legacy (HL) and) Integrated Community Action for Nutrition (ICAN) were implemented in Aweil North County and) Integrated Community-based Disease Surveillance project (ICBSP) in five counties (Kajo-keji, Lainya, Yei, Morobo and Magwi) of Central and Eastern Equatoria State.

CBS Project aimed at detecting and reporting Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) cases among vulnerable population of 527,457 children less than 15 years old whereas HL and ICAN projects focused on empowering 2,883 women economically and improving nutritional status of 14,087 children under five, 3,771 pregnant and lactating women in Aweil North County.

In Unity and Upper Nile states, a total of 68 suspected AFP cases (53 true AFP) were reported in 2020; cumulative of 222 suspected AFP cases (147 true). HL Project reached a population of 16,865.