From Low, With Consistency, Now Massive Service Provider in South Sudan

By Okech Francis

When Dr Xavier Okedi completed his internship from Mulago Hospital and returned to South Sudan, he wondered where to start order to comprehend with the high cost of living in Juba.

That was in 2012 and provision of health services was poor in South Sudan which had just gained independence and private health facilities almost non-existence-most people in Juba relied on Juba Teaching Hospital which itself lack professional practitioners and was not well equipped.

Armed with his medical profession and 2000 South Sudanese Pounds (about $677 at the time), Okedi rooted for a small drug store in the capital.

“It was a very small drugstore I put in Tomping, Camp Kuku in 2012,” Okedi told The Dawn in an interview.

Operating the drug store exposed him to the realities of the challenges in health provision in the country.

Getting professional practitioners was the biggest of all and Okedi decided he must be part of the development of human resources in the sector. The little profits he accrued from the drug store, Okedi channeled them into a nursing school.

“That time there was no private nursing school so that idea came into my mind. I started with a very small place, a plot of 20 by 20 (meters). I didn’t have enough money to pay for the rent but the owner was very willing to help me,” Okedi who now boast of having the best private heath learning institution in the country said.

St Mary’s Nursing School which started with 20 students has passed out 1202 medics including clinical Officers, Nurses and Midwifes since its first graduation in 2016 and currently has 500 students pursuing the same paths.

He also ventured into health facilities and owns five big medical centers in Juba, providing minor surgeries, general checkup and treatment and employing 30 medical professionals.

Despite the big growth, it was all not rosy along the way for Okedi who had to ride through crisis in the country. With relative peace ushered in, he has pushed in deeper into other ventures.

His success revolves around a famous Chinese saying, “Be not afraid of growing slowly. Be afraid only of standing still.”

Confucius, a Chinese philosopher compounds more in this saying, “it does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.”

Using that, Okedi has ventured into even general education and opened up St Mary’s Mixed Day and Boarding Nursey and Primary School and acquired land for a comprehensive learning complex plan including the medical school, nursery, primary, secondary and University.

The relative peace South Sudan is enjoying has also provided him with a conducive atmosphere to put his plans into action. Currently a peace agreement is being implemented in the country, and will end in February 2025 after the country picks new leaders to take over by December next year in a democratic election.

Okedi recalls the scare when conflict broke out in December 2013, and his decision never to give up.

“After the crisis started in 2013, I decided we cannot close because if we close, that means we will collapse. We had to wait for two weeks after the December 2013 crisis outbreak and when Juba normalized a bit after the two weeks, we started again, we could not give up,” he said.

The nursing school currently employs 38 staffs, all professional medics.

“I have created jobs. Some of them are working with the government and also come and teach and get more money,” Okedi said.

“The school is doing very very well and I know that in future, this institution will be at a very very high level. We are planning also that in future this institution will be having its own university.”

Okedi has opened a primary school modelled around the basic education curriculum and as well developing the learners in their talents. By 2024, it will introduce training in tailoring, poultry keeping and other artworks like making beads.

“If you are climbing a tree, you cannot climb from up, you start from the ground, so we also want to start from the foundation. What I am doing is creating a standard and everyone will now develop the gift that God has given them. We identify talents and guide them along their talents,” Okedi said.

Its registered with the Ministry of General Education and Instruction and currently having learners from Baby Class to Primary Four. Learners are provided breakfast and lunch with contributions from parents.

The school is currently employing 8 professional teachers with a plan of more than 22 by January next year.

Despite success in his ventures, Okedi has not forgotten the drugstore which kick-started his growth.

“The drug store is still there. I cannot close it because that is what brought me up,” he said.