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MALE INFERTILITY RATE STANDS AT 84% IN SOUTH SUDAN

A new study by the University of Juba has revealed that 84% of men sampled in Juba showed signs of infertility, challenging a long-held gender stereotype that often blames women for failure to conceive. 

The study analyzed semen samples collected from a health facility in Juba between 2020 and 2021.

Presenting the findings during the 4th Annual Scientific Conference organized by the Association of Gynecologists and Obstetricians of South Sudan (AGOSS), Dr. Garang Dakjur, an Assistant Professor at the University of Juba, said male infertility remains severely neglected in the country.

“Male infertility is often considered a female problem in this country. This study was conducted to examine that perception, Out of the 2,287 cases we reviewed, 84% of the sperm samples were abnormal, and this made me really worried,” Dr. Garang said.

Dr. Garang said the most common abnormalities were poor sperm motility meaning the sperm lack the strength to swim toward the egg and low sperm count. According to the World Health Organization, a normal sperm count ranges between 10 to 39 million sperm per ejaculation.

He called for a follow-up study to identify the underlying causes of male infertility in Juba.

The findings were received with a sigh of relief by many women attending the conference, with some noting that many wives have been divorced for failing to conceive due to men’s assumption that infertility is always a woman’s fault.

Dr. Garang urged for stronger public awareness campaigns encouraging both men and women to seek medical attention whenever fertility issues arise in a family.