The South Sudan Medical Journal exists to inform, educate and positively influence the development of Health Services in South Sudan.
The Journal is published quarterly in February, May, August and November.
Vision
To see well-trained, skilled professionals delivering high quality healthcare to the population of the South Sudan and beyond
Mission
To publish research and clinical guidance that will positively influence the development of healthcare services in South Sudan and beyond.
Scope
SSMJ publishes all types of articles: original research, reviews, survey reports/KAP studies, discussions and commentaries as well as case studies, clinical guidance and letters to the editor, in all fields of medicine and public health.
The SSMJ is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
eISSN 2309-4613
SSMJ is listed on the African Journals Online (AJOL) and Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Visit these sites to learn more.
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Latest Issue:
Vol 19. No 1. February 2026
EDITORIAL
The path forward for cervical cancer in South Sudan
Florence Gune, PhD (c), MPA, MPH
GUEST EDITOR
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Cancer Education Project Inc.
January was Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, a critical moment to reflect on the state of cervical cancer prevention and care. In South Sudan, awareness of the disease is slowly growing, but it remains uneven and largely concentrated in urban areas, leaving many women and girls beyond the reach of lifesaving information and services.
Virtually all cervical cancer cases (over 99%) are linked to infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV). The most important thing to know is that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. It develops slowly over many years, providing a crucial window of opportunity to detect and treat pre-cancerous changes before they turn into cancer.
Significant gaps continue to undermine progress. HPV vaccination has not yet been integrated into the country’s routine immunization schedule. Screening options such as visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and Pap smears are limited in availability and largely confined to a small number of health facilities. Compounding these challenges is South Sudan’s inadequate pathology and oncology capacity, which results in many women being diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, when treatment is more complex, expensive, and often out of reach.
Fish floss in South Sudan
The article from Indonesia showed that consumption of catfish floss increased haemoglobin levels among teenage girls. A similar product is made in South Sudan.
Fish floss, locally known as Gɛ̈r in the Dinka language, is a traditional preserved fish product widely consumed in the swampy grasslands (Toich) of Twic East County, Jonglei State, South Sudan. It is primarily produced from catfish (Clarias spp.) and mudfish (Protopterus spp.), although Nile perch (Lates niloticus) may also be used. The product plays an important role in local food security due to its long shelf life, high protein content, and cultural significance.
The preparation of Gɛ̈r involves a series of traditional processing. Freshly harvested catfish are first cleaned and longitudinally sliced to expose the subcutaneous and visceral fat deposits. The fat layer is carefully removed and heated gently to extract fish oil by melting. The clarified oil is then filtered and stored for later use in frying and preservation.
After oil extraction, the fish carcasses are boiled in water until the muscle tissue is tender and fully cooked, facilitating separation from the skeletal structures. These fillets are subsequently fried in the previously extracted catfish oil at moderate temperatures until they attain a characteristic brown colouration and fibrous texture. This frying step further reduces the moisture content and induces lipid uptake, contributing to the product’s distinctive flavour, aroma, and energy density.
Additional fish oil may be incorporated after frying to enhance palatability and improve preservation by creating a lipid barrier that limits oxygen exposure and microbial growth. The final product, Gɛ̈r, is a dry, oil-rich, shelf-stable fish preparation that can be stored for extended periods without refrigeration. Its traditional processing method represents an effective indigenous food preservation strategy that combines thermal processing, dehydration, and lipid enrichment to ensure food availability during periods of scarcity.