A joint assessment in Akoka County

In May 2026, a team from PRDA South Sudan travelled to Akoka County in Upper Nile State to take part in a joint needs assessment alongside Christian Aid. The visit was intended to give both organisations a first-hand picture of conditions in the county, and to hear directly from the people living there about what they need most urgently.

Reaching Akoka meant travelling by river, a reminder of how difficult access remains for communities in this part of Upper Nile, and how quickly they can be cut off when routes close or the season turns.

Meeting authorities, health workers and community members

Over the course of the visit, the team met with local government authorities, with health workers serving the area, and with community members themselves. These conversations were the heart of the assessment. Officials and health staff described the pressures on already thin services; community members spoke about what daily life looks like when food is short, and the nearest care is far away.

What the team found

The most immediate concern raised in Akoka was malnutrition among children. The team saw significant numbers of malnourished children during the visit, and heard consistent fears from families that hunger — and the illnesses that follow it — could cost lives if support does not arrive.

Malnutrition rarely stands alone. Weakened children are more vulnerable to infection, and families already struggling to feed themselves have little margin left for treatment, transport, or the loss of a working adult to illness. Health workers in the area described exactly this pattern.

What comes next

Findings from the visit are being shared with partners to inform planning and response. PRDA South Sudan remains committed to working alongside communities in Upper Nile and to accompanying local authorities and health workers as they respond to the needs in Akoka County.