South Sudan has launched its first ever cancer registry, giving the country a way to count and track cancer cases with its own data for the first time. The Juba Population-Based Cancer Registry was inaugurated at Juba Teaching Hospital in the capital, Juba, on 5 November 2026.

The registry was established by the Ministry of Health together with the South Sudan Cancer Network, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the African Cancer Registry Network. Health Minister Dak Duop Bichok inaugurated the registry at a ceremony at the hospital.

Why the registry matters

Until now, South Sudan has had no system for recording cancer cases nationally. Health officials have relied on modelled estimates based on data from neighbouring countries, which made it difficult to plan prevention, diagnosis and treatment services with confidence.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated that South Sudan recorded more than 8,000 new cancer cases and more than 5,000 deaths from the disease in 2024. The Ministry of Health cited figures of 8,124 new cases and 5,128 deaths, while cautioning that these were estimates rather than records collected directly from patients.

The new registry is designed to collect, store and manage information on cancer patients, including the types of cancer, where cases occur and which groups are most affected. That information will guide national health planning and help officials decide where services and resources are most needed.

Support from health partners

Dr Albino Amum, director of the cancer registry at Juba Teaching Hospital, said the system would help the country collect reliable information on cancer patients for the first time. The launch was attended by representatives of the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, including Africa CDC country representative Tolbert Geewleh Nyenswah.

Dr Mutale Senkwe, the WHO representative in South Sudan, pledged support through equipment, technical assistance and capacity building to help make the registry fully operational. Juba Teaching Hospital director general Dr Anthony Lupai also attended the launch.

Minister Bichok reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the registry becomes fully operational, describing it as a landmark step for public health in South Sudan. The registry will also allow the country to contribute reliable data to international cancer databases, replacing estimates with observed national figures.