Fried, Sweet and Deadly: Urban Junk Food Replaces War as Leading Killer in South Sudan

It is a bitter pill to swallow in a country where most people are more concerned about the price of cassava than the sugar in their tea. But as it turns out, that extra spoonful of sugar may be more dangerous than the economy.

Joyce Guo, who leads the Diabetes Centre at Malakia Primary Health Care Centre (which, for the record, is not a bakery), gave a polite but stern warning about what is being served on our plates.

“Our grandparents ate real food,” she said. “Now we are living on factory flavoured junk with no fibre, no nutrients, just packaging and preservatives.”

In short, your grandmother’s sorghum porridge is now being replaced by imported crisps, soda and suspiciously chewy bread rolls that survive longer than your mobile data balance.

One might say South Sudan has developed a taste for the finer poisons in life. From deep fried street food sold next to dustbins to energy drinks promising to make you “stronger than a bull,” the modern South Sudanese diet is fast becoming a ticking time bomb.

Add to this a perfect storm i.e. poor city planning (we are looking at you, Juba), unwalkable streets, pollution and a health system so fragile even a cough might collapse it. Health workers are fighting 21st century diseases with 19th century tools and no, paracetamol is not the answer to everything.

Leila Osman, health officer at the Juba branch of the South Sudan Red Cross, says the country is nowhere near meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal to reduce premature deaths from major NCDs.

“Other countries are running marathons. We are still tying our shoelaces,” she remarked.

To make things worse, getting medication in South Sudan is like trying to find network on a hill with no towers. It is rare, frustrating and usually costs more than your monthly salary. For context, insulin essential for managing diabetes can cost between 18,000 SSP ($3.91) and 32,000 SSP ($6.96) per vial in some pharmacies. That is if it is even in stock.

Health Manager Taban Godfrey believes it is time for serious policy intervention, not just preaching. His suggestions include taxing sugar sweetened drinks, banning cigarette ads (R.I.P. tobacco billboards) and smoking restrictions in public places (starting with those boda boda stands that smell like wild fires).

But let us not put all the weight on the government’s shoulders. They already have enough balancing acts to perform. Communities, NGOs, and even that auntie who sells chips at the corner need to step up. After all, if prevention is better than cure, then awareness might just be better than burial.

The good news is not all is gloom. South Sudan still has a chance to avoid becoming the continent’s diabetes capital. With better policies, stronger health systems and a little discipline when it comes to food choices (yes, that means saying no to second helpings of oil drenched mandazi), the tide can be reversed.

Disclaimer

The Last Laugh Column is satire. A polite way of saying “don’t take this personally.” Access Radio® offers space for diverse voices, not endorsements. If you are offended, take a walk… or better yet, take a salad. We didn’t write it. We just gave the writer a keyboard.