Melut County
Encyclopedia
Melut County is an administrative area in the Upper Nile state of South Sudan
, with headquarters at Melut
.
The county contains the Payams of Melut, Paloch, Bemichuk, Galdora, Wunamom and Panamdit
The region is one of wide, flat and low lying plains with black cotton soils, covered by Savannah grasslands and acacia trees.
The river Nile is the main transportation route.
, Nubian and Nuer people. There are many migrants in the towns of Melut, Paloch and Galdora.
In September 2010 a traditional leadership council in the county condemned inappropriate dressing in the public, saying that young women who dressed in an alluring way wanted to pass on HIV. A community elder said "If women start dressing decently no man will have to look at them and people will only have their wives. The way they are dressing today, they are leading young men astray". Local authorities are trying to counter negative attitudes such as this through education.
Most people relay on
agro-pastoralism for a living, and engage in small scale trading.
The main seasonal crop is sorghum, and to a lesser extent maize.
Crops grown on a small scale throughout the year include tomatoes, okra and onions.
NGOs such as the Fellowship for African Relief (FAR) have provided agricultural training, particularly for young adults who have returned to the county, and during their time in Khartoum or in refugee camps did not learn the required skills.
Melut gives its name to the Melut Basin
.
Chevron
discovered a major oil field in this basin.
Major oil wells were drilled on lands that were previously used for cultivation and cattle grazing have directly affected the livelihood of the population.
As of March 2006, of 20% of the population suffered from Global Acute Malnutrition
and 1.7% from Severe Acute Malnutrition.
Other than malnutrition, common causes of death are chest infections in the dry season, and malaria and diarrhoeal diseases during the wet season.
The government-run Melut Hospital has been open since February 2005 with two doctors, one medical assistant, one pharmacist, one laboratory technician and ten nurses. The hospital has one male ward and two female wards, and a theatre which performs minor surgeries.
The laboratory is not equipped for comprehensive diagnosis.
Medair
opened a Primary Health Care Center in Melut Payam in February 2007.
As well as the main clinic, Medair has supported six primary health care units run by the Ministry of Health in remote areas of the county.
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
, with headquarters at Melut
Melut
Melut is a community in the Upper Nile state of South Sudan, headquarters of Melut County.-Location:The town is on the east bank of the White Nile, just below the point where the Adar River enters the Nile....
.
Location
Melut County is bordered by Manyo County across the Nile in the west, Maaban County in the east, Baliet County in the south and Renk County in the north, all in Upper Nile state.The county contains the Payams of Melut, Paloch, Bemichuk, Galdora, Wunamom and Panamdit
The region is one of wide, flat and low lying plains with black cotton soils, covered by Savannah grasslands and acacia trees.
The river Nile is the main transportation route.
People
The largest communities in the county are Dinka, Shilluk, Burun, FurFur people
The Fur are an ethnic group from western Sudan, principally inhabiting the region of Darfur where they are the largest tribe....
, Nubian and Nuer people. There are many migrants in the towns of Melut, Paloch and Galdora.
In September 2010 a traditional leadership council in the county condemned inappropriate dressing in the public, saying that young women who dressed in an alluring way wanted to pass on HIV. A community elder said "If women start dressing decently no man will have to look at them and people will only have their wives. The way they are dressing today, they are leading young men astray". Local authorities are trying to counter negative attitudes such as this through education.
Economy
The River Nile and its small seasonal tributaries are the main sources of drinking water, fishing grounds and water for cattle, particularly in the dry season.Most people relay on
agro-pastoralism for a living, and engage in small scale trading.
The main seasonal crop is sorghum, and to a lesser extent maize.
Crops grown on a small scale throughout the year include tomatoes, okra and onions.
NGOs such as the Fellowship for African Relief (FAR) have provided agricultural training, particularly for young adults who have returned to the county, and during their time in Khartoum or in refugee camps did not learn the required skills.
Melut gives its name to the Melut Basin
Melut Basin
The Melut Basin is a rift basin in South Sudan. It is situated in the states of Upper Nile and Jonglei, south of the capital Khartoum and east of the river Nile. The Basin contains several hydrocarbon accumulations, although oil exploration, as elsewhere in Sudan, has been hindered by conflict...
.
Chevron
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
discovered a major oil field in this basin.
Major oil wells were drilled on lands that were previously used for cultivation and cattle grazing have directly affected the livelihood of the population.
Health
Water supplies are untreated and there is no treatment of human waste, leading to extensive disease.As of March 2006, of 20% of the population suffered from Global Acute Malnutrition
Global Acute Malnutrition
Global Acute Malnutrition is a measurement of the nutritional status of a population that is often used in protracted refugee situations.Along with the Crude Mortality Rate, it is one of the basic indicators for assessing the severity of a humanitarian crisis.-Definition:To evaluate levels of GAM,...
and 1.7% from Severe Acute Malnutrition.
Other than malnutrition, common causes of death are chest infections in the dry season, and malaria and diarrhoeal diseases during the wet season.
The government-run Melut Hospital has been open since February 2005 with two doctors, one medical assistant, one pharmacist, one laboratory technician and ten nurses. The hospital has one male ward and two female wards, and a theatre which performs minor surgeries.
The laboratory is not equipped for comprehensive diagnosis.
Medair
Medair
Medair is an international non-governmental organization NGO of humanitarian aid with a stated mission, "to seek out and serve the most vulnerable people affected by crises." Medair’s core competencies are emergency relief and rehabilitation...
opened a Primary Health Care Center in Melut Payam in February 2007.
As well as the main clinic, Medair has supported six primary health care units run by the Ministry of Health in remote areas of the county.