Child death

Birth defects surge in South Sudan

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:03 pm

There’s an increase of birth defects in South Sudan. An investigation of oil fields by the Associated Press in the Upper Nile and Unity States found rampant pollution, birth defects and unexplained illnesses

Like most children born in the region, Ping Mayak Geer suffers from birth defects. He was born with six fingers on each hand, a stunted leg, a deformed foot and a swollen kidney.

“All this is happening to us because of the oil pollution”, his father, Cornelius Mayak Geer told AP.

The baby was flown to Kenya for testing by the Greater Pioneer Operating Company, one of the oil companies working there.

Neighboring communities, legislators and local authorities accuse the government of South Sudan and the two main oil consortia, led by Chinese Dar Petroleum Operating Company and the Greater Pioneer Operating Company, of negligence and attempts to silence those who have tried to expose the problem.