A six-month-old child has died from suspected heat-aggravated conditions in Torit town, Eastern Equatoria State, local officials said.
The boy died on her mother’s back as they travelled to Torit town from their Bur village.
Francis Andruga Iwaa, the administrator at Torit State Hospital, told local media that the incident happened on Monday afternoon. He said the body of the deceased was, however, not taken to the state hospital for postmortem as kins opted for an immediate burial.
Andruga appealed to residents to keep children away from open sunshine as directed by the national ministries of Health and Environment.
“The woman was coming to the market, and after the child died, they went back home for burial. The national ministries of Health and Environment gave directives and advised all the citizens of South Sudan that people should keep their children away from this sunlight because the heat is so extreme,” he explained.
Betty Konyo, a Warrant Officer at the Police Gender Desk at the Torit Central Prison, confirmed the incident, saying the mother of the deceased is a local trader in the Torit market.
She said they are still investigating the matter and waiting for the complainants’ official report. “I also heard this information at the station here. Details about her and where she stays are not yet clear,” she added.
Angela Ajana, an MP from the state, described the child’s death as a “sudden disaster brought by climatic change.”
She cautioned residents against exposing themselves to extreme heatwaves, urging them to take as much fluids as possible to keep hydrated. “This is all brought about by climate change; we all know the temperatures are beyond normal. People should sit under shades more, especially when travelling long distances; they should take some breaks under the shade,” she said.
Last week, the national government ordered all schools closed across the country due to the alarming temperatures and heatwaves. On Monday, temperatures in Torit oscillated between 40-42 degrees, the highest witnessed in the recent past.
