Birth defects, miscarriage, death during delivery prevalent around oil field areas in S Sudan, say officials.

South Sudanese citizens in oil-producing areas are worried about the pollution causing infant deformities, miscarriage, and death during delivery as well as the death of their livestock.

Abraham Ngor, the Information Minister in Ruweng state --one of the affected areas by oil pollution in South Sudan - said that oil boosts the country's economy, but it has a bad impact on the citizens living around oil fields.

"Now in Ruweng state there are many cases of deformities, miscarriage, death during delivery on daily basis, having a serious negative impact on people, especially on reproduction rates," Ngor told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview.

He said that that the drinking water is also sometimes polluted by oil, and there are two cases of birth defects since the beginning of August alone adding that they were born with no limbs, toes, hands, and vision due to the effects of oil pollution.

Those children born deformed are now under treatment by oil companies and the government, Ngor said.

He said that since 2017 they have recorded 267 miscarriage cases, whereas the number of babies born deformed or with disabilities is 10 and the number of death during labor is 12.

When such babies are born, the community members just bury them because they are very frightened, she said.

"A child was brought here to Juba and I saw it myself, it was a baby boy. He had a right foot but with a very short leg and the stomach was swollen showing that he was not a normal newborn," said Majok.