Ruweng registers four deformities, death cases
An undated photo of Unity oil field in northern part of Unity State [Photo: Courtesy]
The Chief Administrator of Ruweng Administrative Area (RAA), Stephano Mialek, confirmed that at least four children born with deformities died as a result of oil pollution in the area.
Mialek, who spoke to media after delivering his report to the Council of Ministers yesterday, revealed that the area has an alarming fatality rate of children born with deformities in April 2024.
“On issues to do with children with deformity, this is an alarming rate. We recorded one case last year, but the case that was recorded happened in the hospital. But we still believe that many cases are happening in the villages that might not be reported,” Mialek said.
He added, “And this year alone within one month we recorded four cases of deformity. One was a mother who gave birth to a child and died, we have a mother who gave birth to twins and the twins died immediately after they were delivered. And then the recent case was the one of March 13, 2024. So, we have recorded five cases and these are cases that were recorded from the hospital.”
Mialek stated that there may be several deaths among children with deformities in the villages.
He said the reasons for the deaths of infants could be due to oil contamination in the nearby Unity oil field, lamenting that the oil corporations working in the region are concerned with environmental protection.
“So, we are working on also trying to raise awareness and how we will be tracking some of these cases. As lay people, we believe that this might be resulting from the oil pollution given that the oil companies operating in the area do not stake a standard of care concerning the protection of the environment and this is our key concern,” he stressed.
Mialek stressed that Ruweng’s administration has been meeting with the Ministry of health and other stakeholders to discuss how the problem may be resolved.
“We thank also His Excellency the President, he has also mandated the minister of presidential affairs to convene a meeting with the rest of the partners such as the ministry of Petroleum, GPOC, Nilepet, and also the Ministry of the environment to discuss these issues to do with oil pollution,” he noted.
Mialek stated that oil is flowing in Unity field, floating on water, causing problems for the residents living in the area.
He emphasised the need for GPOC to construct water points so that residents can obtain treated, safe drinking water.
“There are oil spills and these are the things we say we must bring to the attention of everybody so that we find solutions. And we also recommend in a way that GPOC should try to work on some of the social cooperative responsibility, especially provision of clean and safe drinking water to the population having a water plan that is treated so that we mitigate some of these issues,” he stated.
According to a February 2020 report by the American public broadcaster Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) News, South Sudan’s oil industry has left a landscape pocked with hundreds of open waste pits, with water and soil contaminated with toxic chemicals and heavy metals such as mercury, manganese, and arsenic. They cited four environmental reports obtained by The Associated Press.
The reports also included accounts of “alarming” birth defects, miscarriages, and other health problems among residents of the region and soldiers who have been stationed there. Residents also described women as unable to get pregnant.
According to four people with direct knowledge of the oil activities and the records, the reports stretch back to 2013 and were delivered to the oil corporations and South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum before being buried. They all spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of their safety.
